


Under the Black Flag

by orphan_account



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - All Media Types, Carmilla - J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, F/F, INTENSE AF, Other, eventual hollstein, in your soul, mild amounts of suffering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-05-14 08:15:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 23,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5736256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(For the record, this story is staged in a world of my own creation because historical constraints are lame) (also I cant summarize for shit)<br/>After the public execution of her lover and her lovers family, Carmilla Von Karnstein abandons the royal navy. After a long and dangerous road (explained through flashbacks), She finds herself the deadliest pirate to sail the seas.</p><p>Laura Hollis is the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and while her father Lord Hollis is ill, she is sent on his convoy to do business for Queen Lilita with her personal guard, Wilson Kirsch and her chef and dear friend, Lola Perry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Royal Convoy

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm trash at summaries. What are you gonna do? I'm also using an entirely different world to stage this story because, in all honesty, earth bores me and I don't want to be limited to that sort of thing. I don't need historical constraints in my life.  
> Another thing, if you guys like something I'd really appreciate comments or kudos. Seeing positive comments really brightens up my day and it means a lot to me as a human.

Dusk draped itself gently over the horizon. This night would hold no gentleness, however. This night a royal convoy would be making its way through the isles, on board was gold enough to have chance of bringing a smile to the brooding face of Captain Von Karnstein. The only other thing that could do that was copious amounts of rum, which, Lafontaine had learned, was not always the safest thing. The captain had some odd tendencies. Before they knew it, the captain had tossed the spyglass at them. With a reaction timing that only came from years of the captain tossing random things at unexpected times, Lafontaine expertly snagged the spyglass from the air and slipped it into the pouch they kept at their side; it contained miscellaneous things like a wrench, nuts and bolts, protractors and other small tools.

"You and your little sea rats got those mechanics set up in the isles?" Came the harsh voice of the captain from behind them.

"Aye, sure do, cap. They're waiting for my signal now." Lafontaine beamed with pride. As soon as the captain found out about their seamless scientific ability and handiworks, she had taken them in right away; sometimes using plunder to fund their work, and even letting them experiment on the ship sometimes. That was, of course, on days when the crew was too tired to do anything so if something did go wrong... well, they'd have time to fix it. There was respect here, validation. Everything they never had at the home they left all those years ago. So it took pirating, something Lafontaine was never really comfortable with doing, to have it, but the pride instilled in them by their crew and captain made it more than worth it. It was a life worth living.

"Well, what are you waiting for? I smell dinner coming." The captain said with a grin. Lafontaine took the bright yellow flag and dipped it in the flames, then throwing it as far as possible into the isles. A few moments later, along with the whir of mechanics, a dense fogged began to fill the isles. No one would be able to see through it. Well, almost no one. The captain had eyes like a hawk and could smell her prey from a mile away. Gold she could smell from across the world. It was almost as if she had a sixth sense for plunder. Or maybe that was the rum she drank. Lafontaine had once asked if they could poke around on the subject, to maybe spruce up a few things on the ship, but the captain had bluntly refused the matter.

"Alright, kiddos, give her a taste of the wind!" The captain laughed, taking a swig from a jug of rum.

"You heard her, rats, loose main!" Echoed the first mate. No one really knew anything about them. Their face was always covered by a black bandana, and a hood was pulled over their head, clad in black and crimson. They knew too things: the name given to the first mate was Locksley. They also knew that Locksley was a force to be reckoned with. Four pistols strapped to the chest, one holstered on each side of the hip, another set strapped to the calves and an over-sized blunder-bust on their back. They were more than terrifying. They were like the malicious extension of captain Karnstein, treated as one might treat their own leg. Or more suitably, their fist. Some believed that Locksley had even come from the Karnstein family, but no one would dare to ask.

The ship lurched forward into the fog, and just starboard they could see the lanterns of the brigs that guarded the royal frigate. The captain muttered slowly to themself, wearing a face of sheer determination and murder. Slowly... a little closer..

"Now! Fire starboard broad-sides and let LOOSE! Catch the wind and give it all!" The captain bellowed, proceeding immediately to howl with laughter whilst spinning the wheel as the ship darted forward. One blast from the thirty two broadside cannons was more than enough to cripple the brigs, Lafontaine knew, so thus focused on the massive frigate they intended to board. The captain went on with her fanatics, the first mate echoing her insanity. Thanks to Laf, they were like a ghost in the water, No one knew what was happening until hell itself was upon them. Laf now focused on the newly designed mortars, trying their best to angle them for the perfect hit. Calculating that perfect hit was a right pain in the arse, with so many unknowns. The amount of guess work was enough to give them nightmares for a week. After a few minutes and a cringe, Laf lit the fuse and hoped for the best while the last brig was being sent to the depths of the sea. When Lafontaine heard the splintering of wood, ripping of fabrics, screams and the slightly satanic Karnstein laugh, they knew they had been spot on. With a fire of the front chasers and a round of the broadsides, the frigate was incapacitated and had no means of getting anywhere.

"Let loose the grapples! Board her and paint the deck fifty shades of crimson!" Locksley shouted, taking a rope and swinging to their deck with ease. The captain said to spare the high ranks, but she didn't say she couldn't injure them.. They quickly twirled out two pistols and shot before blades had a chance to be drawn, and before anyone knew what was happening, they were right up in the captains face, driving a knee into his gut and catching him by the throat as he fell.

"Locksley! That bastard isn't on the menu, kill someone else!" Came a shout amidst the battle. With an inhuman snarl, they hurled the captain through the rails of the helm and wretched a blade from a corpse before jumping into the fight. Meanwhile, the captain had made her way below deck. She had a nose for treasure, and she wanted the gold on this ship like it was a drug. Below deck was a mess, to say the least. The timber was cracked and aflame, various objects were skewn across the floors. The floors bore gaping holes as well, and she could see water flooding in through the hull of the ship. This bastard wouldn't be afloat for much longer. It was a touch navigation to where she assumed the safe room was, but she was sure it would be there. Most ships in the royal fleet and a similar layout and design, and this ship would be no different. As always, Captain Von Karnstein was correct. The safe room had bits and pieces blown out of it, but the tight metal frame work was still there. She shoved her pistol into the lock of the door and shot.

There was a small gasp on the other side. The captain grinned slyly before kicking in the door. Inside was piles upon piles of gold coin and chests. But... there was also a figure. Carmilla grinned, there was definitely more than one type of booty in this safe room, and she enjoyed them both very much.


	2. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary? God I hate summaries. Perry and Lafontaine meet after a long long time and Carmilla has too much fun having people thrown in the brig.

The captain sat on the railings of the helm, back pressed against the wheel. She seemed rather bored. The two ladies she found in the safe room were now being held in the brig by Lafontaine, and the chests of coin and jewels were sent to her personal cabin. Carmilla took mental note to speak to Lafontaine about the prisoners later, but for now she had some more pressing matters to handle. Kneeling before her with hands bound were the officers of the frigate.

"Care to introduce me to the lads?" The captain asked, to no one in particular.

"If you think you're going-" The bound mans words were quickly met with a swift kick in the stomach. He let out a small gasp for air, and in this moment of opportunity, Locksley shoved the front end of their blunder-bust into his mouth. Needless to say the man was terrified.

"This here bastard is the captain of the frigate, the other two scum are his officers. The shaggy fellow over there? Well.. Not really sure who he is." Locksley said in a low growl. The first mate always seemed so angry at something, but no one cared to know why.

"Take 'em to the brig, but leave the, uh, shaggy one. Leave him here." Captain Karnstein ordered. Locksley sighed and removed the gun from the mouth of the terrified captain, as if they were disappointed they didn't get to blow his brains out. Locksley grabbed the captain by the collar and dragged him below deck, the others following by heel.

Captain Karnstein dropped from the helms railings to the deck, heading over to the prisoner. "What's your name, lad?" She asked gently. He gave no reply. Carmilla squatted down and started the man in the eye. She saw fear, and so she gave off a little growl.

"Kirsch. Wilson Kirsch." He stuttered, eyes drenched in terror. "Please, don't hurt me. I'm just an escort for the lady Hollis, honest. I don't even want to be here."

Carmilla started to laugh, as if she had just heard the most hilarious joke in a hundred years, "Oh, you idiot.. Don't worry. I won't hurt you, so long as you do a little something for me." A wicked smile now adorned her face.

"What is it you want..?" Kirsch asked, terrified.

EARLIER: IN THE BRIGS

Lafontaine gently shoved the two women into the cell before locking it. Maybe they wouldn't recognize them. The ginger was in no way shape or form pleased with this arrangement, however.

"How could you throw me in such a filthy place? Don't you people CLEAN? There is mold everywhere, it reeks of rum and vomit, everything is filthy- how do you live like this? I almost pity you for -" The ginger rambled on and on until Laf had just about enough.

"Look, it's a brig. It isn't meant to be clean, your a prisoner. You don't get the nice cabin. If you aren't happy with this, the ocean is always an option." Lafontaine sassed. They knew her all too well, they knew how frustrated this place would make her. After all these years, maybe she forgot their voice. Maybe.. They hadn't meant to say a word. They had meant to give them all the silent treatment.. But her voice, oh her voice.. It brought back far too much.

"Susan..?" Lola Perry spoke softly, the fire in her voice all but extinguished. 

"You know her?" Came the voice if who they presumed to be Laura Hollis. "Her." The world stung, even as they muttered it under their breath.

"I am NOT a 'her' and my name is NOT Susan!" They snapped angrily, and Perry flinched. Oh god did it hurt to see that.

"I thought you died.. Where did you go? What happened to you? What happened.. what happened to Susan?" Perry asked, pain filling her voice. 

Lafontaine turned her back to them, Perry couldn't see her face.. not like this. "Gone. Susan is long gone, Perry. I didn't want to be her anymore." Lafontaine answered coldly. They loved Perry, with all their heart.. but if she couldn't accept who they were, then it just wasn't worth it.

"That's too bad.. Susan was my friend. You? I don't even know who you are.." Perry choked on her words, and Lafontaine's heart stung, like acid had been poured on an open wound. There was then a creaking of a latch, and Lafontaine could hear Locksley's angry footsteps. They walked away, Laura was saying something angrily but Laf had blocked everything out as they headed back to the deck of the ship to greet the captain, who seemed to be having fun tormenting the poor over-sized puppy of an escort.

"Oh, Lafontaine. I'll have to have a word with you later in my cabin, but until then I need you to chart a course to Dun'Loring. We have business with a certain Lord Hollis." The captain grinned, taking a swig of rum before turning to one of her men, who happened to be swabbing the deck at the time.

"Bring the over-sized puppy to the brig and have Locksley fetch me Lady Hollis. Alive and unspoiled, please. Be specific about that. Can't have any more incidents like last time." The captain laughed before turning to her cabin. She already had too much to drink today, and was going to need some time to cool off before "interrogating" the Lady Hollis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah.. So as someone who really ships LaFerry, that part wasn't very fun for me.


	3. Attempted Interogations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uhm, basically hollstein meet for the first time and its super awkward, considering the circumstances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters are so short because I have the attention span of a five year old. Its the way I read things and the way I write things, I can't help it.

Carmilla had invited Lady Hollis to sup with her for two reasons, and only those two reasons. First was to find out exactly how much money should could coax out of Mark Hollis in ransom, and second was to find out exactly what that convoy had gone to Tyth with the Lady Hollis on board. The Lord Hollis was known to be a very cautious and over protective man, and for her daughter to be on that convoy is.. troublesome, to say the least. Carmilla wasn't able to get much information on the subject from the captain or his officers, despite Locksley's torture attempts. They seemed to enjoy that a little too much for comfort. However, Carmilla had heard the Hollis family had a knack for talking, and with the right persuasion, Carmilla was sure she'd get her answers from the Lady Hollis.

The table was all nice and set, as best it could be, and Carmilla had changed her clothes as well as rinse the smell of rum from her mouth. Despite those efforts, she still smelt of sea water. Better than vomit and rum, she though grimly. Tonight she wore her simple black boots and leather pants with a relatively loose sleeveless crimson top, tightened at the waist by a thick black belt. Much of her hair was covered by a black bandana, embodied with a skull, and the rest of her hair came out in a ponytail like a black silken waterfall.

The food, however, hardly seemed as appetizing as Carmilla had hoped. The meal consisted of fish, which Carmilla hated with a fiery passion, some chicken and an arsenal of fruits that they had plundered from a merchant ship a few days past. Including blood oranges, which Carmilla had grown very fond of. Not only for their taste, but for their lovely ability to prevent scurvy and other "fun" sickness. Much of the food that they didn't steal was god awful, and Carmilla would privately celebrate whenever they plundered a ship carrying something tasty.

There was a knock at the door, and in came Laura Hollis, escorted by Locksley.

"Take the helm, Locksley, and have Lafontaine outside the door should I need anything." Carmilla spoke softly, as not to frighten the Lady Hollis. Locksley simply nodded in reply. They never spoke unless it was reciting orders or threatening to shove the barrel of a rifle down your throat. The perfect first mate for Captain Von Karnstein.

Laura was wearing a white sleeveless dress that stopped just below her knees. The hem-work and embroidery seemed as if it had come straight from the palace of Dawn herself. Hell, Laura looked like she had stepped out of the palace of dawn. Absolutely stunning. Perhaps the dress was a gift from her business in Tyth? Carmilla didn't really know, and she didn't have much knowledge on fancy dresses or business.

"Care to sit down?" Carmilla asked with a false politeness. No reply, "Are you waiting for something?"

"Trying pulling the chair out for her, cap. I hear fancy ladies like that one want you to do that sort of thing." Lafontaine joked from outside the door.

"You know what? I changed my mind. Laf, go away." Carmilla retorted; a snicker was heard from behind the door, as well as heavy footsteps.

"I know you're still there. Go. Now. Get your Lafon-face somewhere else." Carmilla said firmly, and with a laugh and sigh Lafontaine "left". Laura began to wonder if all pirates were this ridiculous.

"Will you please have a seat?" Carmilla requested once more, a little less angry and a little more exhausted.

"Send this food to my friends in the brig and I'll think about it." Laura replied sharpy, and Carmilla rolled her eyes. She didn't like fish, anyway.

"Laf, I know you're still out there. Now come here." Carmilla called out. The door creaked open.

"Watcha need, cap?" Lafontaine asked with a grin.

"Take this food to the brigs and feed the rats down there. Oh, and the prisoners. Them too. Leave the oranges, though. I like those." Carmilla sighed.

"Not satisfied with the fish, eh?" Lafontaine asked a little smugly.

"It's fish. I'm never satisfied with fish, Laf." Carmilla groaned.

"Welp. I did say you should eat out tonight." And with a wink, Lafontaine left with the plates of food. Carmilla turned her attention to Laura with a slightly flushed face.

"Will you sit now?" She asked impatiently, and Laura sat. She didn't seem much for conversation. No one is happy with this.

"Look, sundance, you're really killing your family image as a bubbly, friendly bunch." Carmilla said, already drained by this endeavor.

"Says the one who obliterated their family name in one night." Laura replied calmly. Carmilla was starting to question her life decisions, mainly letting this girl stay on her ship and why she didn't have any kind of gag in her cabin.

Laura continued, "You destroyed my convoy, murder my soldiers and friends, throw me in a brig.. and then you ask me to dinner? This is not how you go about winning someone's affections."

"I don't want your affections, cupcake. I have questions and you have answers. If you don't want to do this in a civil manner, I can always just tie you up and..." Carmilla purred softly, slipping closer to Laura with every word. Then she whispered a few choice words in her ear before sliding away to sit rather seductively on the table. Laura's face had quickly flushed red, and she looked down at her feat.

"So what'll it be, darling?" Carmilla smirked.


	4. Oh, Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla gets her answers, some things are said and flashbacks. Tell me my summaries are beautiful. Say it to me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So flashback. Yayyyy!

"How utterly disappointing." Carmilla said with a sigh, leaning back in her chair and almost slamming her boots down onto the table.

"What is _that_ supposed to me?" Laura asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." Carmilla answered, once again bored with the situation at hand, "So. What business does a royal convoy have in the lands of Tyth? And don't tell me trade. Believe me, I had your ship searched well enough. No silks, no gems, and the coin is the Queens royal currency. Why were you there?" If there was anything Carmilla knew and understood, it was coin. Just by looking at a coin she could tell you where it was made, who made it and when it was made. 

Laura quickly realized that lying to this pirate was going to do absolutely no good, but.. maybe leaving some bits out would work, so she answered the best she could, "Well... The Queen wanted to better the relations with Tyth and she figured a little coin might sway them in alliance.." 

Carmilla sighed. She had worked with the Queen long enough to know that there was much more to it than this, "Right. If that were true, then.. Why were you sailing back with all the coin you intended to bribe them with? I've never known Tyth to refuse free coin.. Unless.. Well, let's make this easy. The letter. Where is the letter?" 

"Letter? What letter?" Laura asked, confused. Then she remembered that the pirate had once been a high ranking official in the royal navy, and had probably carried out many missions of this sort on her own. She'd be very familiar with the system, and the letter the Queen always wrote for diplomatic business. She never fully trusted anyone to carry her own words, not even her own daughter. 

"Oh, bloody hell, cupcake. You know damn well what letter, where is it? Tyth? Did I kill the person who had it? Answers. Now." Carmilla leaned forward, getting right in Laura's face and gave a small, inhuman snarl. 

"The letter is still in Tyth, now back up. Your breath stinks of liquor." Laura answered angrily. 

Carmilla snarled in response before sliding off the table, now towering over the girl, "Now... how much coin is in the treasury of Dun'Loring? And be exact." 

"What? You think I know? My father didn't trust me enough with the treasury." Laura snapped back. 

"Didn't trust you? And yet here you are. How did this mess occur then, I have to wonder." Carmilla replied, her voice slipping back into an irresistible tone, smooth as silk. 

"Fine, fine! Roughly six hundred thousand royals." Laura was getting very frustrated with this situation. Lying to the pirate was proving to be very difficult, and the way she would stare into your eyes would leave you with shivers in your spine and an unnerving feeling. 

"And how much would daddy dearest pay for your safe return, do you think? At least a few hundred thousand for his precious daughter. He might even be willing to spill all the information I need." Carmilla said with a grin, she had the information she needed from this girl. Now she needed the father. 

"How could you do that? What kind of monster are you, bartering the life of someone's daughter for.. for coin?! And slaughtering innocence. Merchants with families, soldiers who promised their family they would come home soon.. Why? You betrayed your mother, the Queen, you betrayed your lover and executed her. Then you betray your friends and slaughter hundreds of people. Why? What happened to you to make you so.. dead inside?" Laura ranted angrily, for her mother had died in the massacre orchestrated by this pirate. Now she had the opportunity for vengeance. Laura slipped her hand past the pirate and grabbed the knife that rested on the table, in a quick motion she slid behind the pirate and put the knife to her throat. The pirate only laughed.. Or was it a snarl? Laura couldn't tell. 

"What kind of plan is this? You're on my ship, swarming with my crew that would rip you to shreds if you killed me. Not to mention, you wouldn't dare kill me, would you?" Carmilla laughed, trying to hold back the pure rage building inside her, "No.. No you wouldn't. You don't have the stomach for murder do you? No, you little angel. No matter how angry you are, no matter how much I hurt you or anyone else, you won't kill me." 

"You don't have to be like this..." Laura whimpered, dropping the knife slowly. 

"Oh, but I do. I'm already headed to hell, and it's better to go a legend." Carmilla said, anger flooding into her speech. If someone didn't take this virgin sacrifice out of her sight now, there would be spilt blood. "Locksley!" 

In what felt to be a matter of seconds, the cabin door opened and the lifeless eyes of Locksley peered inside. A chill ran down Laura's spine. Who ever that Locksley was.. nothing about them seemed human. 

"Lock her in the brig. Give her the cell next to that pesky leak." Carmilla snarled, and Locksley dragged Laura away. Once the cabin door shut, Carmilla began to chug the rum straight out of the cask. In a record time, she had drained the entire cask. She proceeded to throw it out the back window, shattering it, and her own vomit following. After that lovely scene, Carmilla slumped down between all her chests filled to the brim with coin. She flittered her fingers through all the coin. She had more money and coin than she could ever hope for. Anything she desired or wanted could be hers. She had power. Everyone in the world knew her name. Captain Carmilla Von Karnstein. They either adored the name, or feared it. Everything she could ever want... but could money ever fill the hole the Queen had so kindly impaled into her? An unsavory memory began to flood her mind.. 

_This was it.. The stadium was filled, her best marksmen filtered within, stationed near the Queen's guard. This was going to be just about the stupidest thing Carmilla had ever done, and quite possibly the most dangerous. Everything she was about to do was on stage, with thousands watching. The Queen had ordered her to execute her lover, Ell, but no one else knew that. They all just thought it was some other murderer. Some other garbage from the slums. Not to Carmilla.. Never to Carmilla. In front of the gallows was the executioners block, where Ell was already kneeling in front of. Behind her, her family hung. The Queen would pay for this, and Ell would not die. Not tonight. Not ever, while Carmilla still drew breath. She promised herself that. With a deep breath, Carmilla walked into the sunlight of the stadium and made her way to the block where Ell rested. Carmilla was in full uniform, but she had decided not to wear the royal cloak she had been gifted. Tonight was filled with too much betrayal, and this act she wouldn't dare commit with the sigil of her father on her cloak. She drew the pistol, and aimed it at Ell. Her eyes scanned the crowd, and she could see the nods from her crew._

_This was it. In a quick motion she pulled Ell up to her feat, and turned to shoot right at the royal box, in hopes of hitting the queen. In seconds flat, the smoke of rifles filled the air as the royal guard as swiftly executed by her crew. There were screams of terror, and in the chaos Carmilla threw Ell over her shoulder and ran. She ran like she was being chased by the fires of hell. Carmilla had appointed her first mate to keep the guards at bay while Carmilla made her break. Her rifle-men were filtered through the houses and buildings, on roof tops and in alleys, to strike at the royal guard. Protecting Carmilla and Ell was their number one focus, and as Carmilla ran, so did they. She could see her ship in port. She was going to make it. They were going to live. That's when Carmilla saw it. The two galleass's of her most trusted captains. This would be going much better than she had planned until.._


	5. Hello darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is entirely flashback, cause poor Carmilla is passed out in her cabin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short as hell, I know. Don't judge me. Also the two captains in question are Theo and Mel. Just thought you oughta know.

Fire. It all started with fire. Carmilla stopped dead in her tracks and watched on in horror as her two captains opened hell on to her ship. Her crew, all of her crew.. Dead. Her precious ship, now sinking to the bottom of the sea. Gunshots rang all around her, and Carmilla turned and bolted into an alleyway. The rest of her gunmen, taking the hint, followed suit. They had to get out of this city and get out as soon as possible. That's when they saw it. The rest of the royal army. They were trapped and surrounded. Carmilla motioned for the rest of her gunmen to take refuge in the nearest warehouse, one Carmilla happened to own, and they began to board it up. No one said a word. There was nothing to be said. They were all going to die here. Ell was to traumatized to speak, and her eyes seemed empty.

"Alright, start boarding up every entrance you can find. We're not dying without a fight, got it?" Carmilla growled, setting Ell down before slamming her boot into a crate, busting it up.

"Aye, General. We're on it." One of her gunmen replied, Chester, was it? and followed suit, breaking up crates and nailing them to the windows and doors with everything they could find.

"I'm not your bloody general anymore. We're outlaws now, lads." Carmilla said grimly, searching the small warehouse for some kind of way out. Any way out. They heard the steps of marching soldiers, and the cry of commands. They were found. Canons open fired at the warehouse, blasting the walls to bits and throwing Carmilla and her soldiers to the ground. Carmilla turned frantically in hopes of finding Ell. To this day she wished she hadn't. Lodged square in her chest was a fragment of crate, her body dismembered and smashed. Blood flowed from her wounds, a hot and sticky waterfall of crimson. There was coughing, and Carmilla rushed to her side.

"Carm..? Is that you.." Ell whispered meekly.

"It is, my love.. I promised you, I won't ever leave your side." Carmilla smiled weakly, cupping Ell's cheek. Her eyes burned with tears, she could hear death all around her. Cannon fire and gun shots, but right now. .None of that mattered. Her world was dying.

Ell let out a cough, blood splurting from her mouth. It pained Carmilla to see, and her stomach turned over as Ell started to talk, "Carm.. You.. you promised you'd save them. You promised you wouldn't let my family die. Why? You promised me.. Carmilla.. you let me down.. You failed."

Carmilla fell backwards, and she started to cry. Tears rushing down her face. Ell was right. She had failed. She had tried to save her world, everything she loved.. And all she managed to do was lose it all. Everything. It was all the Queen's fault, the fault of these damn royal soldiers.. Her heart burned with anger and sadness. She would take it all back, she would have her revenge. They will all die. She stood and looked around. Corpses, only corpses. She was surrounded, and they closed in. The Queen most have ordered her capture, rather than death.

First mistake. She raised her hands and dropped her weapons, when they approached to bind her wrists, Carmilla turned violently and slammed the heads of the two soldiers together, quickly sliding behind them as the others fired their weapons out of impulse. Using one of them as a human shield, she stole the mans pistol and shot. They kept coming, and Carmilla was running out of stolen guns to shoot. That's when she realized.. The soldiers outside thought her human shield was a hostage. They were waiting... Carmilla dragged her corpse shield to the corner, and began to search the crates for black powder. They couldn't see her, perfect.. She didn't know how long she had until they'd realise the poor idiot was dead. She began to pile up the crates in the center of the room, stacking them and pushing them around. 

The soldiers outside watching were, as expected, utterly confused by what was happening. Carmilla ran back to the corner and searched frantically for the small trap door that lead to the warehouses saferoom, once she found it, she pulled it open. The soldiers had enough, and perhaps by the Queens order, were now storming into the warehouse. Before slipping away completely, Carmilla fired her last bullet into the crates of black powder, and watched as smoke and fire filled the warehouse, and dragged a crate over the hatch to seal her escape. Now all she had to do was wait.. wait for night fall, and hope that no one found her.


	6. What do we do with a drunken sailor?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lafontaine has to deal with a hungover Carmilla and some not so happy prisoners.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also some flashbacks, continuing the Carmilla's backstory.

Once Lafontaine had seen the cask fly out the window and heard Carmilla vomiting, they knew they were in for hell the next day. The captain had always been somewhat of an alcoholic, but some days were much worse than others. Laf began to wonder exactly what had went down in the cabin while they brought food to the brigs that would make the captain chug that much rum in that little time span. Either way, knowing the Captain was going to be having a bad day today, Laf had charted course to the small town just south of the city they planned to go, and had already lowered the black flag and raised the flag of the royal fleet. They'd stay in the port till an hour past noon, and then head back out to sea to go meet the Lord Hollis. The Captain would be staying in her cabin, and Laf doubted she would argue. On days like this, the Captain had chosen Laf to stand in for her, and thus when they went to port, Laf would be donning the stolen royal officers uniform. No one in the town would question the royal navy, or one of it's officers, so they had free reign to do whatever it was they needed to do.

After donning the uniform, Laf knocked on the Captains door and slowly slipped in, "Ay, cap? We're pulling into port just south of Dun'Loring. I'm giving the crew a break and I'll be going ashore to visit the harbor master. Is there anything you need?"

"Aye, some whiskey and scotch." Carmilla answered with a groan, laying on the floor next to her chests of coin.

"Ehm.. How about some coffee?" Lafontaine suggested, "You've got a meeting with Lord Hollis today, and as happy as it makes you, no one involved in this needs you drunk. Again."

"Yeah, fine. Strong black will do, just.. Be quick about it." Carmilla groaned, rolling over onto her stomach and trying to get up. Needless to say, that didn't work out too well, and she collapsed back on to the floor.

"Some times I wonder what you'd do with out me." Lafontaine chuckled to themselves.

"And take the annoying one with you. If that bloody ginger wants to complain about the state of my ship so much, she can damn well clean it herself." Carmilla said quickly, her words slightly muffled by the deck of the ship. She groaned once again when Lafontaine shut the door and left. They were right, she'd be a complete mess without them or the crew. Of course, it was a simple repayment for the things she had done for them earlier in her career as an outlaw.

_Carmilla sincerely hoped it was night, and she was sure it would be after what felt like years of waiting in the tiny safe room underneath the warehouse. Maybe the Queen assumed she got away in the explosion, and was searching elsewhere. It was risky, but she'd rather die from being shot than starving in a tiny, enclosed space. So, with a sigh, Carmilla pushed up against the latch and the crate just enough to peek outside. No one, perfect. With one quick shove, she pushed the the latch up and the crate off, and crawled out into the warehouse._

_Standing up and brushing herself off, she looked around. Stone rubble littered the ground, along with wooden support beams and framework. Cannon balls, scrap metal and cloth were scattered about, along with sugar bags and barrels of rum, spilling out on to the floor. Then, there were the corpses. Every one of them, at one point, had been a friend. She knew everyone, and everyone in the military knew her. They were all her friend at one point, and now.. Now there was no one. Then she heard it, the faintest scrape of a breath. There was life. And where there is life, there is hope. She searched around, desperate to find one of her crew members still alive. And that she did._

_There was the short little Chester, leaning up against a barrel of rum, eyes shut with a fading breath. Scattered about his chest was bits of wooden shrapnel, blood seeping from the wounds. Lodged in his side was a twisted wreck of metal, but oddly enough, no blood seemed to be coming from that area. Getting closer and inspecting the wound, she realized that the twist of metal must of been scorching hot when it pierced his flesh, and had probably sealed itself. Then, Chester opened his eyes slowly, the life draining out of them._

_"Heyo, General.. Not dead, I see.. That's good.." He said meakly with a fading smile._

_"Aye, last I checked. And neither are you, so lets say we keep it that way." Carmilla replied, sliding her hands underneath his arms and pulling him away to a clear spot, resting his head on some cloth._

_"Sounds like a flawless plan, M'am." He gave off a slight chuckle, and then a groan of pain, as if the laugh had hurt. It probably did. Carmilla only smiled in response, taking off her coat and rolling it up into a make-shift bandage. Realizing that the actual purpose of the coat was to keep liquid out, she searched around for some cloth that wasn't drenched in rum. Finding her prize, she returned to Chester's body and wrapped the cloth around the jacket. Taking another bit of cloth, she slowly pulled out the bits of wood that were scattered through out his chest. He whimpered with each one. She then soaked the bit of cloth with a pool of rum on the ground, and pressed it to each open wound. Chester's face scrunched up in pain, but he made no sound. He knew the procedure. Carmilla then repositioned him over the make-shift bandage, so it would be in perfect position when she wretched the piece of metal free._

_She took off her glove, and pressed it into Chester's mouth, "Bite down on this. It's gonna hurt like a bitch, and I don't need any screaming. Got it?" She ordered, and Chester nodded. In a swift pull, she ripped the twist of metal free from Chester's body, and there was a muffled scream of pain. Blood gushed and oozed from the open wound, painting his clothes and the floor crimson. Carmilla quickly pressed the cloth against the wound and used the sleeves of her jacket to tie it tight. Chester was painting and sweating, his face bunched up in pain._

_"Damn, General.. When you said it'd h-hurt, I didn't q-quite imagine that." Chester stuttered with a weak laugh._

_"Gave you a fair warning, mate. Now, lay there while I go grab a few things." Carmilla gave a forced smile, before standing up and searching through the wreckage. She took the jacket off the corpse of the commanding officer, as well as his cap, and put it on. She then looked around and took several pistols, a few pouches of bullets and any unspoiled black powder she could find. In another bag stolen off a corpse, she put bundles of dry cloth for when she had to redress Chester's wounds. She had lost everything and everyone today, and she'd be damned if she let Chester die. He didn't deserve that._

_"We ready to go, M'am?" Chester asked, looking up at his general._

_"Aye, mate. Let's get going." Carmilla replied, lifting Chester up and putting his arm around her shoulder to help him walk. Then they set off into the darkness, hoping that they might find escape in what lay ahead._

**PRESENT DAY**

"Up and at 'em, Perry. The Captain's ordered you to come with me ashore. She said, and I quote, If that bloody ginger wants to complain about the state of my ship so much, she can damn well clean it herself." Lafontaine said bitterly. They were in no way shape or form looking forward to this. It was going to hurt like hell.

"Alright, fine. Whatever. The ship needs it." Perry said stiffly, and then Lafontaine noticed that Laura was sitting in the corner of probably the filthiest cell in the brigs.

"Oh, bloody hell.." They muttered to themselves, then spoke up, "The Captain put you in there, Hollis?"

"She had that over-sized brute threw me in here." Laura snapped back, angry.

"Yeah! That guy was being really rough and a total twat." Kirsch chimed in from the darkness.

"Shut up, no one asked you." Lafontaine shot at Kirsch, then looked into the cell next to him. Were those officers.. dead? They wouldn't be surprised, Locksley had.. some murderous tendencies. They went over to Laura's cell and unlocked it, swinging it open.

"Well come on, get up. Unless you want to stay in the filthy cell while we go out." Lafontaine said, and Laura stood and stepped out slowly. She was a right mess, covered in filth and sea-water.

"Out? So we're at port, then?" Laura asked, getting a slight idea.

"No, Hollis, I'm jumping into the sea to get away from you fancy people." Lafontaine sassed, and Laura looked down at her feat before bolting away. She tripped over her own slippers, and slammed face first into the deck.

"Well, you sure are graceful." Lafontaine chuckled, picking Laura up and pushing her into the cell that Perry was in, and pulled Perry out. "You stay here, and if you're good, I'll bring you some clothes that aren't filthy."

"Can you get me a biscuit?" Kirsch asked from the corner of his cell.

"Yeah, what ever. You can have a biscuit." Lafontaine answered with a slight shrug, before taking Perry by the arm and pulling her out of the brigs.

"Wow, thanks mate!" Kirsch called after them, clearly excited about getting a biscuit.

"Hey, let go. I can walk on my own, thank you." Perry snapped at Laf, and they let go.

"Well, keep up then. We've got a lot to do." They replied bitterly. Coffee for Karnstein, Clothes for Hollis, Biscuit for Kirsch, cleaning supplies for Perry, and an arsenal of tools and equipment for Lafontaine to start work on the pulley system they had planned for the ship.


	7. Coffee for your thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla confronts Laura in the brig about something she said, and LaFerry goes to town. Literally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, yes. A random note. Mattie will eventually show up. Sometime, who knows when.

Carmilla stumbled out of the cabin onto the deck. She had been vomiting for hours the night before, and was pretty sure she had nothing left to throw up. She looked around, and saw that no one was around, everyone had gone ashore to the town to entertain their own fancies. The bright light of the morning sun began to shine in her face, and she started to regret stepping outside. _You don't have to be like this.._ What did she know? What would a Hollis know about any of it? All that bastard knew was the force-fed lies from the Queen. Nothing that cunt said was ever true. It was all false. Carmilla had fully convinced herself that she **had** to be this way. There was no other choice for her. No other way to get vengeance, that she was the best person she was ever going to be. So why did she care what some Hollis said? Some lack-wit servants of the queen, who knew truly nothing. What ever the reason may be, she pulled open the latch and stumbled her way down through all the cabins to the brig. It was dark down there, and Carmilla's eyes adjusted quickly. Her eyes darted around until they landed on Kirsch. She opened his cell.

"Get out. Go find your ginger friend. Now." She ordered with a snarl.

"Yes, sir, M'am.. Sir.. Sorry.." Kirsch stumbled over his words before darting out of the cell. That lady was absolutely terrifying and more importantly, angry.

"You. You god damned cupcake." Carmilla pointed lazily at Laura, with an angry face, before mocking Laura's voice, "You don't have to be like this. The hell does that mean? What do you know about what I have to be? Who are you to stand on my ship and tell me what I have to be?"

"I'm not on your ship willingly. I'd rather not be here, actually." Laura replied calmly, and at this comment Carmilla was rather stumped, and she continued, "It means that you don't have to kill people. You can't change the past by murdering even more people, you started your wrongs from the day you betrayed the queen and you haven't stopped. So, why? Why is gold so important to you that you betray your family? Your friends?"

"I didn't betray my family. They all betrayed me. They betrayed me the day the Queen ordered me to execute the one person I could ever love." Carmilla snarled in response, leaning back against the cell across from Laura's, slowly slumping downwards. "The Queen found out I had plans to leave the royal fleet and sail far to the west.. Sail somewhere I could marry the woman I loved. The Queen wasn't having any of it. So, she arrested her and her family.. And hung her family while she watched. I was ordered to execute her.. I wasn't going to do that. I tried to save her, take her to my ship and leave while some of my crew held them off. I failed. My two most trusted captains stabbed me in the back, destroyed my ship... Slaughtered my crew. I lost everything that day. Do you see now, Hollis? I won't ever stop hunting the Queen or her ships, I live and thrive off the plunder I take from that bastard. They all framed me a monster, and so I became one."

"No amount of gold is going to bring that back, you do realize this, right? And the people that you kill, the ships that you sink.. They never did anything to you, they never did anything wrong. You punish the world for things it didn't do, it's not right." Laura sympathized, but still angry at the pirate. How could she not be while sitting behind bars of a cell?

"Right, wrong.. The line between the two in this world is as destroyed as my liver. It's only power now. Power and chaos, and those who can take it and thrive. Can't you see that? That's the world you live in. Morals and ethics have been tossed by an arbitrary universe." Carmilla groaned in frustration. This was proving to be a greater endeavor than she thought, and her head was pounding. She hoped Lafontaine would be back with her coffee soon.

Laura couldn't help but stifle laughter at the shape of the pirates liver, but once again turned serious, "What's the point, then? If you don't at least try to draw the line of right and wrong, the world would just.. Crumble into a dark pit of chaos. There would be nothing left. Life would be hell, even in for you in the end."

"It's already hell, cupcake, you're just too blind to see it." Carmilla commented, and Laura's face scrunched up in anger, "You know, that bunched up face you make when you're angry is hilarious, buttercup."

"It's hell out there because people like you are going around and murdering people, stealing everything and acting like they can do what ever they want." Laura shot back at her.

"Well so far no one has been able to stop me, so.. I think it's safe to say I _can_ do what ever I want." Carmilla replied, rubbing her head a bit and noticed the way Laura had just raised her eyebrow. Maybe it was the headache, or the fact she was probably about to dry-heave again, or maybe the lighting, but Laura's face did seem rather.. Aesthetically pleasing. "What's the.. the eyebrow raise thing for? You plan to prove I can't?"

"Maybe I do. Maybe I do plan to show you that what you're doing is wrong, and that you just can't do this the rest of your life. Or maybe I don't. Who knows, I've got the rest of the day to do it." Laura answered, her face still hot and red and her voice quavered a little.

"Well, good luck with that down here in the-" Carmilla stopped mid sentence as her body decided now would be a great time to try and heave up something that didn't exist. After the episode was over, she wiped her mouth and left the brig without another word.

**EARLIER THAT DAY**

"Impersonating a royal officer? Isn't that.. Illegal?" Perry asked cautiously while walking next to Su-Lafontaine across the docks, heading into town.

"Perry. Everything I do from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep is illegal. I wake up and sin, and I don't stop. It's a cycle, really." Lafontaine answered, scanning the town for a harbor master or general store. Anywhere they could get the supplies they needed. The coffee, they decided, would be last on their way back to the ship.

"Oh, well.. When you put it like that.." Perry replied softly. This was absolutely terrifying for her. Attacked and kidnapped by pirates, thrown in a cell, and then Susan, er.. Lafontaine, comes back from the dead! None of this is okay. This shouldn't be happening. She had finally gotten used to life as the Hollis family chef and living without Lafontaine in her life. Now, some pirate comes along and decides "sorry, not anymore!" and just.. Ruins everything. Maybe this was an opportunity.. Lafontaine really hadn't changed much, maybe... Maybe she could fix things. It didn't have to be this way. She'd convince them to come back, to live with her and do.. Something that wasn't illegal? 

While Perry was off thinking, Lafontaine had already stepped up to the harbor master to make some purchases, which seemed to consist mostly of timber, tar, oil and rope. Along with what seemed like a bunch of nails. She watched them drop a few gold coins on the table before the harbor master, and the man seemed to want to refuse Laf, but they kept insisting on them taking the pay. Which already seemed like a lot less than what someone should _actually_ be paying for that. Then Perry realized that Laf wasn't just anybody right now. They were an officer in the royal navy. Her thoughts were interrupted by someone calling out her name.

"Hey! Hey Perry! The scary pirate lady told me to go find you!" Kirsch called out, running up to Perry, and looking around for Lafontaine, who was approaching with all their materials piled in their arms.

"Oh, you're here. Great." Lafontaine said with a grin before dumping all the supplies into his arms and looking around for the general store.

"Uh... What do I do with this?" Kirsch asked, a little confused by all the things he was holding.

"Take it to the ship, and pile it by the mast. Stay there, please." Lafontaine instructed, kind of unsure why he was here or why he was even listening to them.

"Alright, got it. Pile it by the mast and stay there. On it!" Kirsch chirped and repeated the instruction to himself before turning and heading back to the ship.

"So.. You know what you need to clean the ship better than I do so, do you want to go buy what you need while I get coffee?" Lafontaine asked, not wanting to do anymore work than they had to. They were still really upset with Perry, but they also had too much to do to act angry at the moment. They had all this precious time on their hands to finally make some pulley systems for the ships sails and all the complex rope-work.

"Yeah, yeah sure. I'll do that, Lafontaine." Perry replied, hoping that by saying her- _their_ name they would realize that she's trying to adjust to what they wanted to be. Lafontaine simply smiled in reply and tossed them a few coins before heading off to the tavern for the captain's coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't judge me, I realize they didn't get the coffee in this bit. I called it that because they were going to get coffee and there was a great deal of thinking going on. Stop judging me.


	8. Diplomacy? Who needs that?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diplomacy with Lord Hollis goes all sorts of wrong, thanks to none other than the psycho murderer Locksley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Locksley's main purpose in this fic is basically to take everything and fuck it up

Lafontaine slowly opened the door of the captains cabin and slipped inside. The captain was laying on the floor, and it seemed like she hadn't moved an inch since they left to go get coffee. They decided, despite it seeming like a bad idea, to give the captain a slight nudge with their foot, "Ay, coffee's here."

"Yeah, yeah.. Put it on the table, I'll get up in a minute." The captain groaned, voice slightly muffled by the deck of the ship. Lafontaine decided to just set the coffee down on the table without another word, and proceeded to drag the small chest, that had all their larger tools in it, outside on to the deck of the ship where Kirsch sat happily eating his biscuit, and Perry had already started trying to make things neater and cleaner.

"Don't mess with the ropes. The ropes are fine where they are, for now, anyway." Lafontaine informed, before sitting down in front of all the materials they had bought. Opening up the chest and taking out a few different sized saws, they started work on cutting up the timber and planks into a more suitable size. After that, with a much smaller saw, they roughly shaped several gears before giving them a light coating in tar.

"So, what are you makin'?" Kirsch asked curiously, hovering over them.

"Well, I'm trying to come up with a new system for the ships rigging for the sake of that poor guy who got caught in it during a storm. It would have been funny, if he didn't die." Lafontaine replied casually, setting aside the finished-ish gears.

"That's pretty cool. The rigging thing, not the part where the guy dies. That's not cool at all." Kirsch replied, giving his nod of approval.

"Yeah, if it works things will be a lot smoother and we should be able to function the rigging a lot faster than normal. Its kind of important." Lafontaine continued to explain, now shaping out little grooved cylinders. Kirsch had decided that he knew enough now, and then followed Perry down below deck. Probably to bring Laura the other clothes they bought at one of the stores in town. Just to make sure, though. Laf set down their things and followed them down. As they had assumed, the went straight to the brig.

"You're not going to be getting far with this idea without these." Laf said with a smug smile, dangling the cell keys in front of them. Then they noticed the face Laura was making, and looked in the same direction as her. Into the cell the frigate captain and his officers were being held. Lafontaine stepped closer and peered into the cell. No, they weren't dead. The lifelessness in their eyes made it seem that way, however. They seemed totally and utterly defeated.

"The hell did Locksley do to these guys..?" Lafontaine mumbled, turning around and unlocking Laura's cell. They took the clothes from Perry and tossed them to Laura, and set the boots down in the cell. Perry decided it was a good time to start cleaning the unoccupied cell, so they could stay somewhere "nice" on the way to meet Lord Hollis.

"I was going to ask you the same question. What sort of person is he..?" Laura asked, staring blankly into the other cell. Kirsch had decided to sit down and listen to what was going on.

"He's bloody insane. Nothing else to say, nothing else to know. Born and raised to be a killing machine in the fighting pits in the east, but.. Well, the captain decided that wouldn't be happening. Things just kinda happened." Lafontaine replied, watching Perry attentively.

"What do you mean the captain decided that wouldn't happen?" Laura asked curiously, looking up.

"Well, most of her crew on this ship were set to be slaves in some part of the world they had never seen before. The captain was, too. I'm not really sure how it went down, but on the slave ship the captain broke her bonds and took the ship for herself. She sailed the ship back to port with the help of any of the captives who could, and told them all they could go home now. Most of them told her that they didn't have a home to go back to, so they went on with her to steal.. Well, this ship. The Black Panther. After the life they had been given, condoned by the Queen, they were all more than happy to live a life of pirating. Free to do whatever their hearts desired. This ship is home to us all." Lafontaine explained, and they saw a light clicking in Laura's eyes. They weren't too sure what it was, but maybe she had realized that the captain wasn't some sort of monster.

"Most? So what about you? How did a someone like you end up here?" Laura asked, then quickly added, "I don't mean that in a bad way or anything, you just seem.. Well, a bit nice for someone who just decided they wanted to be a pirate."

"Well, I didn't really decide to be a pirate. I ran away from home, a few years ago. I wanted to find validation, I wanted people to respect who I was and the things I could do. I found that here, and I could be who I wanted to be. That's what I decided on." Lafontaine answered, glancing over at Perry, who was deep in thought. Seeing her again, maybe.. Maybe running away wasn't the best thing to do. Maybe they could have worked it out.. But the past is the past. Then they heard the clammering of boots above deck, that time already?

"Well, we'll be off to your home soon. Get exited." Lafontaine grinned, before getting up and helping Laura into the cell Perry had cleaned, and Kirsch seemed quite happy in the cell he was in. They all seemed ready to go home. Lafontaine locked the cells and made their way back to the deck of the ship. The Captain was back at the helm, finishing her mug of coffee. Laf quickly put all their things back in the chest, and dragged it back into the cabin before going back up to the helm with The captain and Locksley.

"How's the rigging system going?" The captain asked casually, taking a sip of coffee.

"Pretty good, I've finished the blue prints and I'm working on carving everthing out." Lafontaine answered.

"Well, good. Good." The captain looked out over the deck of the ship, assessing their readiness to leave. Deciding it was time, she yelled out the command, "Loose all! Catch the wind, let's get going!"

**A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER**

The port of Dun'Loring was coming into view. They had dropped the royal colors and raised the black flag. The captain was sure that they had already been spotted, and she damn well wanted to be. She wanted them all to know who was coming, and she wanted Lord Hollis to be at the docks when she arrived.

"Raise tops, gallants and royals! Leave main, for now." The captain shouted out, orders being echoed by Locksley in a louder and slightly more terrifying tone. The captain spun the wheel and turned the ship port-side.

"Raise main! I want you all on guard, rifles out!" She called before stepping away from the helm and turning to Lafontaine, "Bring out prisoners."

"Aye, captain." They replied, heading off below deck. Carmilla looked around at the port. There was a small battlement to the left with multiple cannons, trained towards the ship. Other than her own ship, the port was empty. She realized that was her own doing. She looked around, and then saw the short and plump Lord Hollis making his way to the docks with six armed guards, along with two servants pulling a cart of chests.

"Ahoy, Hollis! Fancy meeting you here!" Carmilla called out sarcastically, making her way over to the edge of the ship. Locksley whispered something into her ear on the way down, and she nodded. She liked this plan. With a small hand signal, she gave him the go ahead to get everything ready.

"It isn't a damn fancy, you pirate scum. Where is my daughter?" The Lord Hollis spat with fury in his voice.

"How rude of you. Tell me, where on earth did your fleet go?" Carmilla asked innocently, leaning against the ratlines.

"You know damn well where that fleet went." He snapped in reply.

"Oh, yes.. Silly me, how could I forget. Sending it to the depths was quite fun." Carmilla laughed, gesturing Lafontaine to bring the prisoners forward. Laura and Perry had been taken to her own cabin by Locksley. She whispered something in their ear, and they ran to the bow of the ship where the mortars were set up. "Are these the ones you want?"

"Where. Is. My. DAUGHTER?!" Lord Hollis shouted, his voice quavering with rage and his face hot.

"Oh, right. Her. Locksley!" Carmilla called out, gesturing to the cabin. Locksley stepped out, with Laura in hand, "There she is! See? Not dead. Just like I promised." Locksley pulled Laura back into the cabin.

"You also promised you would return her to me." Lord Hollis reminded.

"And you promised me coin. I want the coin, please." Carmilla insisted on having the coin first in this exchange.

"Who the hell do you think I am? Why would I give you the coin first?" Lord Hollis objected angrily.

"Yeah, thought you might say that." Carmilla sighed, and gave a yawn, muttering something under her breath. In what felt like a blink of an eye, fire was raining down over the battlements and rifle shots rang out through the air. The six soldiers, along with the frigate captain and his officers were shot and dead, and the battlements were all but destroyed by the mortars. Cannon bits were scattered about, and lifeless limbs followed. Some of the soldiers manning them were bathed in flame, trying desperately to escape a fate they couldn't outrun. Lord Hollis stumbled back and fell onto his rear in shock and terror. Several of Carmilla's pirates jumped down on to the docks, and started loading the chests of coin on to the ship. Lord Hollis started yelling out for help, and one of the pirates slammed their boot into his face. He was out cold. Laura was yelling something out, but Carmilla couldn't hear. It didn't even matter.

"Loose all! Let's take our bounty back home!" Carmilla shouted, laughing hysterically. Laura slumped back against the wall of the cabin. She was so confused, what kind of person was this? Was there still good in her anymore? What had she just done..?


	9. Commodore Lawrence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the pirate Karnstein goes back on their agreement, Lord Hollis goes to a trusted family friend and owner of the deadliest ship in the royal navy, Summer's Vengeance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't possibly imagine who'd the owner of THAT ship
> 
> *sweats nervously*

Lord Hollis stepped out of the carriage nervously, looking up at the massive naval fortress, resting on the rocky cliffs of the shoreline. Its towers and walls loomed above, with lines upon lines of cannons. Docked in the port just to the left of the road to the gates was the commodores ship, along with several smaller military class brigs. Everyone knew the commodore hated pirates with a burning passion, and she had been a good friend of Laura's for quite some time. Mark Hollis was sure that she would help, and that with the Summer's Vengeance the pirate filth would be heading to the depths with her sins crawling on her back. The idea appealed greatly to him. He had already lost so much to the pirate, but it wasn't the money or the cargo that hit him the hardest. He lost his wife in one of their raids, and now he was going to lose his daughter to the same fate. He should have known better than to send Laura on that convoy. He should have gone anyway, in spite of illness. Shaking away the thought, he approached the steel banded oaken doors of the fortress. When he reached them, they were already opening and the portcullis being raised.

"The commodore's been expecting you, I'll take you to her." A voice called from the battlements, and Mark could hear the sound of rushed footsteps as who ever it was ran down to meet him. Mark walked through the gates, looking around nervously. He was then greeted by a young fellow in the blue and red uniform of the royal navy.

"A pleasure to meet you, Lord Hollis. If you'll just follow me up to where the commodore is, thank you." The soldier said politely, waiting for Mark to nod and then leading him through the fort and up a flight of stairs on to the battlements, looking over the sea. Standing, or towering, really, was the red-haired Danny Lawrence. She turned to greet them both with a small smile.

"It's good to see you again, Mark. I just wish the circumstances were a little better than this." Danny said in a friendly tone, and then turned to the soldier, "You're dismissed, thank you for bringing him here and this situation to my attention."

"Of course, M'am. I'll make sure the fort is in tip-top shape when you return." The soldier smiled cheerfully, making his way back down the flight of stairs and into a different part of the fort.

"He saw the black panther headed to your port and went to report to me right away. No matter what deal you make, the captain of that ship can't be trusted. Not even as far as I could throw her." Danny explained with a slight laugh, trying to make light of the situation at hand.

"I was desperate, as I'm sure you can understand. Now I'm desperate without a fleet, and I lost a lot of good soldiers. Not to mention a good bit of coin." Mark explained, looking up at Danny, "You can help, can you not? You can get me back my daughter?"

"Of course I can. My ship is being prepared now, and I'll be taking Captain Callis and Straka with me for assurity." Danny beamed with confidence. She would not fail, this was her best chance. An opportunity of a lifetime. Laura would finally see that Danny was the best for her.

"Thank you, commodore. I am once again in your debt." Mark gave a sigh of relief. His daughter would be safe, he wouldn't lose his precious Laura.

"Nonsense. Anything for a good friend. Sleep well, Hollis. Your daughter is going to be safe." Danny reassured him kindly, and Mark returned a smile before stepping down the stairs to make his way back to the carriadge. He wouldn't be sleeping well until Laura was safe at home.

Danny turned the other direction and headed down to the docks, greeted by Captain Callis and Straka with a salute, a salute Danny returned as quick as normal. Melanippe Callis and Theo Straka had been working together for years, ever since they had been in the navy, and yet they seemed to hate each other almost as much as they hated the pirates that they hunted down together.

"Everyone is ready for departure M'am. Where are we headed?" Mel informed curtly.

"We're headed to the Isle of a thousand pieces. I think you'll be having fun there. We're going after the pirate Captain Von Karnstein, you're familiar with that one, are you not?" Danny answered with a slight grin. She knew the answer to the question, obviously. She just wanted to hear them say it.

"You could say that, yeah." Theo answered slowly.

"Well what ever you can say, lets get going. We haven't a moment to lose." Danny ushered them off to their ships before turning to her own. The deadliest ship in the royal navy. She would not fail. Not today, not ever. Not to pirate filth like Karnstein.

**ABOARD THE BLACK PANTHER**

Carmilla sat alone in her cabin, deep in thought. Why had she done that? Why would she have listened to Locksley? She was going to get the coin either way, she should have just given up Laura. It would have been so much easier, and yet.. Yet it wasn't. She wasn't sure why, but for some reason she couldn't bear to part with the annoying shrill of a girl, caught up in her own belief of right and wrong. Why was that so? She had to know, absolutely had to know. But after so many years of trying to detach herself from the world, she barely understood her own feelings. Carmilla stood, and went to open the cabin door. She had to talk to Lafontaine, they were brilliant, right?

"Lafontaine, get yourself off the helm and get down here. Tell Locksley to take it, where ever the hell he is." Carmilla barked the command, before shutting the door and sitting back down at her table. A few minutes passed, and she heard her door opening.

"Captain, meaning no offense but.. What the hell was that stunt you pulled today? We were going to get the coin just fine, now we probably have all the royal navy on us!" Lafontaine was exasperated. The captain didn't even like the prisoners, what the hell was this? But.. then again. Lafontaine was glad that they didn't have to part from Perry all so soon.

"Yeah, not really sure, in all honesty. Bring Laura here, I need to talk to her." The captain answered, trying to sound as firm as possible when completely confused.

"I'm not too sure Laura wants to talk to you, but I'll do it." Lafontaine replied, lifting an eyebrow. Why on earth did the captain thing this was a good idea? What the hell was she doing? Nothing very smart, that's for sure. They kept similar thoughts rambling throughout their head as they headed back belowdeck, leaving the captain alone in thought.

That was a good point.. And what was she going to say to her? Sorry? Like that would do any good. Carmilla decided she really needed to stop acting on impulse and maybe think about the shit she was doing. Then again, isn't that the same thing that lead to her being a pirate? Impulse. She lived off impulse, everything she did, everything she said. That's what Lafontaine was for. Thinking, being smart.. Carmilla felt something similar to, or maybe it was, regret for not telling them what she actually meant to do. She just told them the mortars would be used if something went wrong, and that after they were set up that they needed them to go belowdeck to get some things. She had never felt bad about lying before, so why now? What was so different now?

There was a knock at the door, and it slowly opened, "Here she is, Cap. I'll be out here if you need anything." Lafontaine gave a weak smile, and Laura stepped inside the cabin just before they shut the door.

"Why? Why did you kill them..? You didn't have to do that. You would have gotten your coin, what ever it is you wanted, but you killed them instead. How could you? Why would you do that?" Laura's face was hot, red and burning. Her eyes were filled with fury, and there was a glimmer of tears.

"Your father is safe." Carmilla looked down at her feat. She felt something.. something strange. Was it regret? Was it sadness? She didn't know.

"Good. That doesn't change the fact that you killed so many people. Why? Why did you kill them?" Laura raised her voice, Carmilla didn't answer, she didn't know how. She didn't even know the answer. "Answer me, damn it!"

"I don't know, cupcake, I don't know! Maybe because I could, maybe because I felt like it, or maybe.. Maybe something else. The truth is, I don't know why I did. I just did." Carmilla snapped at first, but her words softened as she went on. She looked up, but still couldn't make eye contact with Laura.

"You just.. you just decided on a whim to kill? What...? What on earth do you want from this world?" Laura was now shouting. The crew outside was wondering why the captain was letting someone yell at her.

"It wasn't just on a whim, damn it!" Carmilla replied harshly.

"Then what? What made you decide to do this?" Laura asked softly, lowering her voice. Maybe she was tired of yelling, or maybe she realized that it wouldn't get her an answer. Who knew. But Carmilla didn't know the answer to Laura's question. She thought and thought, but nothing came. She looked down at her feat.

"What was it?" Laura demanded once more. 

Something inside Carmilla snapped, like a final straw on a crumbling building, "Maybe it was because you said you could save me, damn it! Maybe it was because I wanted that, too! Maybe it was because after all these years, the only way I know how to get what I want is to steal and kill!"


	10. Stockholm Syndrome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura is very confused, Carmilla decides to take the helm and gaze at the night sky while sailing (Heh.. "decides" "gaze"). Lafontaine decides to go to the brig and take Perry to their cabin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Includes a bit of flashing back, LaFerry and finishes up the Hollstein moment.  
> (hollstein moment summary)  
> L: wat  
> C: wat

"What..? What do you mean by that?" Laura stared, taken aback by what she had just heard. Had she even heard her right? There was no way she had.

"What does what mean?" Carmilla asked, trying to play it off like nothing had happened at all.

"What you just said about ten seconds ago!" Laura answered, very confused now.

"Nothing. It doesn't mean anything." Carmilla quickly said, trying to cover up that sudden burst of emotion. She wasn't even sure what she said, or why she had said that. Impulse. There it was again.

"Tell me what it means, please!" Laura was practically begging now. She had to understand this, she hated the way everything about this person was just a mystery. A killer and a savior, good and bad.. doing right and wrong.. And she did all of it at the same time.

"It doesn't mean a thing, cupcake!" Carmilla snapped a bit, getting up and making her way to the cabin door, but something stopped her. She felt a soft yet firm grip on her bare upper arm, and she turned to meet Laura's gaze Carmilla sighed, "Look.. I don't know. Just, forget about it, alright? I'm a pirate. A killer. That's all I need to be."

"Why not be something more? You have it in you, I can see it.." Laura said gently, making gentle circles against Carmilla's arm with her thumb. This shouldn't be happening. There was no Stockholm going on here at all.*

"I don't have a reason to be anything but this. This is fine." Carmilla replied. There is a realm of things that are okay, and there is a realm of things that are not okay. Sometimes, these two boundaries touch. What's happening right now is in neither of those areas, existing in its own realm outside of what's okay and what isn't.

"It isn't fine.. You can't keep doing this forever, it won't end prettily. It never does." Laura says, almost subconsciously getting closer to the pirate. She was just trying to help her, if she could stop this pirate from killing and plundering, It'd be a civil good, wouldn't it? It's just the right thing to do. _The right thing to do_. She tells herself that over and over as she looks into the other girl's eyes.

"I know. I knew that when I signed up for this life, and I did it because I know that I won't change." Carmilla insisted stubbornly. What did this girl want? How many more people did she have to kill to prove the monster that she was? And more importantly: Could she ever kill someone with Laura watching?

"Maybe... Maybe I can fix that?" Laura was unsure of herself, unsure of anything that was happening. Yet, her mind decided that today she would act purely on impulse. Something about the pirate brought out her spontaneity. Laura leaned in close, staring deep into the pirates eyes.

"Captain! Big mamma nature is havin' a tantrum up ahead!" Came the loud and slightly frightened call of Lafontaine from above the captain. Taking it as her cue to make an awkward exit, Carmilla rushes out of the cabin and climbs up to the helm, saying "go fuck yourself" to the stairs. Taking the wheel from Lafontaine, she looked towards the horizon. Resting over it was a massive dark cloud, spanning as far as the eye could see along the horizon. Flashing throughout it were cracks of lightning, like the lashing of a whip and distant rolls of thunder. The sea there would be completely untamable; a challenge. The black panther had taken far worse storms.

"We aren't changing course! I'm at helm for tonight, kiddos! If anyone wants to try to sleep through this they are fully welcome to, but I need you all on deck and ready!" Carmilla shouted, shoving away all her previous thoughts. It was time to be Captain Von Karnstein, terror of the seas, a force that not even the deadliest of natures storms could stop. Locksley had jumped down from his usual position next to Carmilla and headed to the center mast, his position during storms like this. Lafontaine turned to Carmilla nervously, rain was already beginning to fall. The sea was getting choppy.

"Captain, are you sure this is the best idea..?" They asked nervously, hoping that the captain would change her mind. That would be to no avail, as it always was.

"Absolutely not but we're doing it anyway!" The captain laughed, staring down the storm like it was an enemy to be fought, a land to be concurred. "Get the man-child Kirsch up here to help the crew, and make sure everyone is on top of it! We need the cannons chained down and all the chests as well. Make sure it happens on your way below deck, understood?"

"Aye, Captain! It'll be done as you say." Lafontaine replied, sliding down the bannister and rushing below deck. Each row of cannons on both sides were being chained through a small system of iron loops that linked to a singular pully system in the center, based around the central beam of the ship. The system gave the cannons room to move if they needed to, but would prevent them from flying off the ship or crushing any poor unsuspecting victims. On their way back, Lafontaine would thoroughly inspect each level for any tiny mistakes. There was no room for error in this kind of thing. When they reached the brig, they unlocked Kirschs cell and then Perry's.

"Kirsch, The captain wants you on deck and helping the crew. Keep it up and you'll be one of us soon." Lafontaine joked, and Kirsch, who seemed to have mixed feelings about the idea of being a pirate, made his way up top.

"Do I have to stay in here..?" Perry asked, looking up at Lafontaine.

"Of course not. I'll take you to the captains cabin with Laura, and I'll stay there with you until its over. Alright?" Lafontaine said, looking Perry in the eye as they unlocked the cell and took their hand to lead them to the captains cabin. Under any other circumstance, it would have felt strange. Strange to hold Perry's hand again after so long, strange to comfort her when she was afraid. Right now that didn't matter. With each roll of thunder, Perry's grip on their hand tightened. They were closer to each other. Lafontaine was so caught up in this that they hadn't realized they were already above deck, and they were already swinging open the captains cabin door. Perry went straight to the captain's bed to lay down, and Laura was sitting alone in the chair, staring off into space.

"Alright, you two. It's going to be fine, trust me. I've been with the captain for a while now, and sailed with her through quite a few storms. She's a little bonkers, but she knows what she's doing. She's going to get us through it, like she always does. In fifteen years she hasn't ever let us down, and I doubt she's going to start today." Lafontaine gave them both a comforting smile as she finished locking up and chaining down the captains chests of coin and other valuables. Rum included. Then, they headed to the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Perry asked in alarm, looking up at Lafontaine.

"I just have to check the chaining on the cannons, I'll be back soon. I promise, and I'll even come with an empty barrel for you. I know you get sick in storms like this." Lafontaine said with a smile before slipping out into the rain and the wild seas. Perry pulled in and hugged her knees. After all these years, they remembered. They remembered how afraid she was of storms, how sick they made her.. What else did they remember?

"So.. How did your conversation with Miss Karnstein go..?" Perry asked shakily, looking over to Laura.

"It went." Laura answered blandly, with a blank expression.

"Oh, okay.. I'll just, stay here then. Make sure this bed doesn't go anywhere. Yeah, that's good.." Perry mumbled to herself, shutting her eyes tightly and hoping that the storm would end soon and that Lafontaine would be back. There was the sound of rain pelting against wood and sail, the pulling of ropes and stomping of boots. There was something else, too. Perry couldn't make it out at first, but she soon realized it was a song. They were singing.

Windy weather, Oh , stormy weather,  
When the wind blows, we're all together;  
Blow ye winds westerly, blow ye winds, blow,  
Jolly sou'wester, Oh , steady she goes. 

That was all Perry could make out before Lafontaine opened the cabin door with a barrel in hand, "Alright everyone. I'm back and everything is fine!" They said with a smile, heading over to the bed and sitting next to Perry. Not too close, but not too far, and they set the barrel in front of her.

"Thank you.." Perry nodded, and after the next roll of thunder, her hand jumped straight into Lafontaines.

"Think nothing of it, Per." Lafontaine smiled, and look over to Laura, "Well.. How about I tell a story while this storm passes over?"

"A story?" Laura says, looking over at them both.

"Aye, a story. The interesting story about how I ended up a pirate on this ship." Lafontaine answered, face towards Laura but eyes towards Perry, who was nodding at the idea.

"Well, it was on a night quite like this, almost seven years ago. I had completely changed my identity, and made my way around the world on the ships that I would repair or upgrade. I'd get to port, and then go to the next harbor master with the same deal. The captain would pay for the supplies and my services would come with. In return I got a sparse amount of coin, food and passage to the next harbor. I got to see a lot of the world, this way. Anyway, the night I met Captain Karnstein..." Lafontaine continued their story, sliding closer to Perry.

_The rain was pouring hard over the port, and Lafontaine sat alone in the shipyard with their tools and left over materiel. They had been stuck at this port for a while, because there wasn't anyone who required their service. Literally. No ship had come into port for several days, and this storm had lasted just as long. It had its lighter moments and moments like these, but it never stopped. They hoped that today some one would finally show up, but it was unlikely. Still, if some one did.. They would no doubt require the services of Lafontaine and the shipyard. Maybe tonight would be the night, because they needed to leave.. Where ever this was. Lafontaine wasn't even sure._

_They did know that no one here spoke much common tongue, or any other tongue that Lafontaine had knowledge of, which made the situation all the more frustrating. Lost in thought, it took them a while to notice the touch of crimson sails on the horizon.. A ship. Lafontaine stood with excitement, making there way over to the docks through the wind and the rain. This would be it. Yet, as the ship approached.. It didn't seem all that friendly, and it was a military class ship. Usually those two things don't mix very well, but still.. If they'd take their service and get them out of here, it didn't matter._

_They stay and watch as someone who seemed like the captain of the ship, dressed all in black leathers and other slick materiel stepped on to the dock, wearing a rather interesting hat and a bandana. Lafontaine noted the figure carefully as they made there way over to the harbor master, and followed, just within ear shot of their conversation. Although they couldn't understand the conversation itself, they knew it was going badly and that the captain was angry. Lafontaine decided to make their entrance as the captain was storming back to their ship._

_"Excuse me, Captain!" They called out, running up to the figure in black, who turned and met their gaze, "I couldn't help but hear things going south over there, and I thought I might be able to offer you my services for what ever repairs you might need. Don't worry, I work cheaper than him, and I've got my own materiel."_

_"Hm, alright. Fine, make it quick. How much coin?" The captain asked, reaching into the small pouch at their side._

_"Ah, don't worry about that. I just need a bite to eat, a cabin and passage to the next port." Lafontaine answered, hoping that it wouldn't change the captains mind._

_"Works for me." The captain nodded, and Lafontaine ran to get their stuff and board the ship._

"So, at the time.. I had no idea I was boarding a pirate ship. I thought at the worst it was smugglers, but I didn't expect landing on a pirate ship. Anyway, I did my repairs but I noticed a lot of other small issues on the ship. Since she paid for my service for repairs, I started fixing up these other issues. One of these issues was the cannons rolling around and into people during storms. After that, the captain asked if I would stay on board, so I went with it. It was food and a place to stay, and I wasn't alone. It was nice." Lafontaine finished recalling, and noticed that Perry had calmed down some, despite the storm still raging on.

"So.. How did you realize you were on a pirate ship?" Laura asked curiously.

"Well, it took a while, actually. It didn't fully click in my mind until we were plundering some cargo ships, but by then.. Well it didn't matter to me anymore." Lafontaine answered with a chuckle, remembering just how they had reacted when they sat down and realized that they were an official pirate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stockholm, Ammirite guys?  
> Also, I'd really appreciate more comments on what you guys think of the fic so far and anything you'd like to see in it in the future :D


	11. The Isles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny has to lay anchor and wait out the storm or face mutiny from her crew. The Black Panther reaches their hideout in the isles, and everyone gets comfy at home. Sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the conversation.

"Lawrence! We can't go through that damn storm!" Her first mate yelled over the rolling thunder, "Turn us around, we'll sink, sure as daylight!"

"We can't give up now, damn it! We're too close for that!" Danny growled in reply, not taking her eyes off the rolling waves in front of her, some taller than buildings.

"What does it matter how close we are if we're all at the bottom of the sea!" He shouted back, his face getting hot with frustration and his hand sliding down to the hilt at his side, "Straka and Callis have weighted anchor already, we need to turn back!"

"God bloody hell!" Danny yelled, in a storm like this.. They would never be able to take the black panther alone. The panther thrived in storms and conditions like these and it made the Summer's Vengeance a sitting duck, too big to maneuver away from the tactics that captain Karnstein used. She sighed, and spun the wheel around.

"We're getting out of this storm, lads! Look alive!" The first mate bellowed, a look of relief on his face. They would find the hide out in the Isles eventually, he was damn sure of that, but he wasn't going to die for this Hollis. He sure as hell wasn't going to die because of the Commodores vested interest in that Hollis either. Half the crew was willing to die for the Commodore, and the other half was like himself. They'd only go so far, but as soon as she fucked up.. It'd all be over for her.

**THE BLACK PANTHER**

"Ay, lads! I see sunlight ahead! We're almost out!" Carmilla yelled out, laughing. She had shown this storm who was in charge, and anyone chasing her wouldn't dare go through. Carmilla was the master of storms and sailing through conditions no other captain would risk, out of their own fear. Carmilla told herself she feared nothing anymore, certainly not the sea. Of course, she did have a fear.. A single fear. She would stare down death without batting an eyelash, and yet.. Only the simplest thing well and truly terrified her.

"Need me to rechart to the Isles?" Lafontaine called out, head poking out of the broken back window of the captain's cabin.

"Aye, sure do. Make sure we get there as quick as possible, everyone on this ship deserves a good nap!" Carmilla laughed, contemplating a nap of her own. She decided against it, wanting to remain at the helm, sailing her stress away. Well, she'd like to think that's what she was doing. Many times the stress would return the second they weighed anchor or came to port, and for that she would drink. It's become a bit of a habit. _A bit_. Lafontaine would argue against it being just a bit of a habit, and call it an addiction. Carmilla didn't think so.

"I'm on it! We'll be there as fast as possible!" Lafontaine laughed as well, pulling their head back into the cabin and pulling out a map from the small pouch at their side and spreading it across the empty table, sliding the temporary nails back in. They had done this sort of thing so many times that there were now four holes in each corner of the table that matched four holes on the map. On the table they placed their trusty compass and the sextant, along with a little carving of the black panther and some other markers.

"So, what are-" Laura started, but was met quickly by a shushing noise and Lafontaine's finger against her lips. They placed a small marker against the port in Dun'Loring, and another at the Isles. They took a small string and wrapped it around one marker and wrapped the rest of it around their finger. They flipped the compass open with their other hand and set it down for later use. They slowly traced their finger along a path on the map, carefully watching how much string they had unraveled. Suddenly, their finger stopped and they placed another marker, wrapping the string around that one. They then wrapped the rest of the string around the other marker on the isles, and pulled out their compass to measure the angle of the second piece of string. They stared at the map in silence for a little bit.

Lafontaine leaned back out of the window for a quick second to shout, "North to north east, Captain!" before heading back in and sitting down at the table, playing with the small carving of the Black Panther, noticing the way that Perry shifted in her sleep when they had shouted.

"Can I talk now?" Laura asked, staring at Lafontaine in confusion.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Go ahead." Lafontaine answered with a laugh before picking up the small carving of the black panther, and inspecting it further.

"How exactly did you know how far the ship was from the port? And where we were at the moment?" Laura inquired, curious at how the navigator had known with nothing but the sea around them.

"Well, each inch of the string represents two nautical miles. So I kinda just pulled the string in the direction we went to get an idea of where we were. I only pulled the sextant out to get it out of the way for me to get the string. I don't actually need it right now, considering it's day time." Lafontaine chuckled a bit, setting down the carving of the black panther.

"But how did you know how many miles we had gone?" Laura questioned.

"Oh, that? That's just intuition. Its all up here, honestly. It just kind of.. Remembers how fast this ship goes with what sails up and what sails down. I have to take storms into account consciously, but its not that hard when you've been through so many." Lafontaine responded with a friendly laugh. They turned over to the captains bed to notice that Perry had fallen asleep, and the barrel had rolled off the bed and onto the floor. Lafontaine smiled at the sight, it brought back so much, and Perry was beautiful while she slept. No worry lines across her forehead, no fear in her eyes.. Just peace.

"How do you and Perry know each other?" Laura asked curiously. She had noticed the awkwardness between the two, and during the storm she had noticed the way Perry had fallen back on them, like it used to be something that was normal. Something that happened without a second thought.

"I'd say we grew up together, but that's kind of an understatement. It was more than that, a lot more.. We were inseparable growing up, the way our personalities clicked together. We were like the two sides of the same coin, and it stayed that way for a long time. We grew apart, and that was my fault. I changed, I changed in ways that she wasn't used to. It scared her because she didn't know what was happening, it was outside the realm of the things that she knew how to handle. To her, I had become a whole new person. To me, I was the same person I always was. I was upset that she wasn't accepting it and I.. I ran away. I ran off to somewhere no one knew who I was, somewhere I could be what ever I wanted. Now I'm here, a pirate under the service of the most famous captain to sail the seas, and Perry is here. Its weird, honestly. I don't know how to feel about any of what's going on." Lafontaine recalled, laughing inside at how far things had come. How much life had changed, from a simple life, child of a fisherman, to the right hand of the legendary Captain Karnstein 

"I think that what ever you two had before is still there.. It really showed last night." Laura pointed out with a gentle smile.

"Yeah, I think so too.. But Perry's heart isn't at sea or on a ship. Her heart could never be in being a privateer the way mine is. I would never ask her to do something like this for me. Ever." Lafontaine commented with a soft sigh. The Isles were completely empty while the Black Panther was away, and they were usually out at see for weeks at a time. That wasn't a life Perry would enjoy, and Lafontaine didn't want to put Perry in that life for their own sake.

"Love will have its sacrifices." Laura said gently, sitting at the other side of the table.

**Several hours later**

At this point everyone was exhausted, excluding Perry, and were ready for hibernation to claim their body. Even when the dock of their island in the expansive isles came into view, there was no celebration. Just slightly less angry groans. No orders were given and nothing said as they pulled into port and tied up, and all was quiet as they began to unload their goods. Barrels upon barrels of rum, wine, liquor and other alcohols. They had crates of oranges, bananas, apples, pears and all sorts of other fruit. In other barrels was pound upon pound of fish, and even more barrels of salted pork and beef. Then there were the spices from around the world, salt included. And that was just the edibles. They also had chests filled to the brim with coin and pure gems stones like sapphires, rubies, emeralds and diamonds. There were even chests dedicated purely to jewelry of all kinds, imbued with all sorts of gems, and there were even chests of pearls. So, you could say that this months plunder was very good.

Lafontaine laughed to themselves at the thought that their ship and crew had become wealthier than nations. Of course, their ship had also stolen from people around the entire world. The Captain had decided long ago that staying in just one part of the world was absolutely no fun at all, and decided that they would plunder everywhere. They would sail all the seas, and plunder ships across the entire globe. No one was safe from Captain Karnstein or the Black Panther. After all this time, the royal fleets had given up on hunting the pirate ship, and focused on trying to protect their merchants. Needless to say, it failed. The idea of being scourge of the world seemed to appeal to the captain, or maybe it just covered something else up. What ever it was, unloading everything was a pain. The food went to the large storehouse next to their tavern, and the coin and jewels went to the underground hoard. 

That one was a public hoard, and there was an unspoken agreement for the division between the crew. They just took from the hoard when they wanted to buy something nice for themselves. Depending on how much they brought back, each crew member would pick out a certain crate or barrel of what they wanted all to themselves. Some times, like today, each crew mate got two crates or barrels. Even then, there was still a huge amount of wealth for the underground hoard. The food all went to the tavern and cooks, every single time. It was another thing part of the unspoken agreement. Maybe Perry would like to cook at the tavern, she'd like that. The crew would get to try all sorts of new food that wasn't terribly made. At least Perry could be some-what happy until.. Something happened. Lafontaine had know idea what was going to happen, in all honesty.

Like most of the things the Captain stole from ships, Lafontaine assumed, Laura and Perry wouldn't be returned willingly. The captain was like that. Once she stole something, she didn't want to lose it. Yet.. Lafontaine had to wonder, since they had never taken captives before. Captain Karnstein would never take a slave, and neither would any of the crew, so now that they really thought about it.. They had no idea what was going to happen to Laura and Perry. Only time would tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't question how over the period of three days Laura goes from being a prisoner on an enemy ship to chillin in the captains cabin of the same ship.
> 
> If you want to question it, go question the time-line of Romeo and Juliet and then come back to me.


	12. After the storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And before the next

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla wants fun

Danny stared into the horizon, the storm had finally passed and they were making headway once again. Captain Callis's ship, The Arrow, and Captain Straka's ship, The Trident, were both ahead of Summer's Vengeance, being smaller and faster than her. Summers Vengeance was a military class galleon, fully rigged and with more fire-power than any other ship in the seas. Since Danny's ship was hardly the most maneuverable ship, she had to work diligently with Callis and Straka, who's ships were fast and small, but not strong enough to do proper damage. They would herd the enemy ship into the proper position, and Danny would then let loose the broadside cannons and.. Well, anything in her way would be at the bottom of the sea in no time flat. This tactic had made the trio neigh unstoppable, and yet even still..

The Black Panther would be very hard to sink. Her captain was unpredictable and Danny couldn't describe her in any other way but insane. They had many encounters together, and the Black Panther always escaped in much better condition than it left Summer's Vengeance, and neither ever managed to sink. It was a game of cat and mouse, except the second they meet, Danny instantly becomes the mouse. A very large mouse. More like an elephant, and the Black Panther just that. A panther. The situation was frighteningly similar as well. The Elephant would get nowhere in killing the panther, and although the panther was much faster and sneakier, it wasn't going to be able to kill the elephant. This time though, this time.. Danny would be going straight to the lion's den and destroying it. There was no way that the Black Panther or her captain would escape this time.

"Land, ho, Commodore! We're at the Isles!" Came a voice up from the crow's nest.

"Finally. It's time to end this hunt, once and for all!" Danny yelled out, a cheer rising from her crew. This was going to be it, the final battle. Danny was going to get everything she deserved once she slew Captain Karnstein, and Laura would finally see. She couldn't help it as the smile formed on her face, thinking of what she would finally have.

**The Island**

After unloading all the goods, most of the crew went straight to their cabins that had been constructed all across the island for their well deserved nap. Locksley, who didn't seem to sleep at all, went to the hills that rose high on either side of the island and the docks. Angled against the two cliff faces, facing inwards toward the bay, were two partly destroyed galleons. There was a shifty wooden path leading from the inner decks down to the docks, and another path leading farther up to the hill to several watch towers, mounted with swivels and a spyglass. That's where Locksley spent most of his time, although what he did up there was beyond anyone's knowledge. No one even cared to know, for because of his vigilance no one had ever been able to attack the island and live to tell the tale. 

They had a standard protocol for what to do if some one was spotted by Locksley. He would go silently from his post and pick out about ten crew members he could find and take them to the Black Panther, and sail the Panther from the dock to another port close by but hidden from sight. Depending on the ship, they would either flank it or let them come into the port, only to completely obliterate it with the the broadsides on the half destroyed galleons. Either way, the enemy went to the drink and no captives were taken.

Carmilla had given up on keeping her captives captive, and just let them wander about the island how ever they pleased. Lafontaine took Perry to the tavern with all the food, and they were up to who knows what. Knowing Lafontaine though, it probably wasn't much. Kirsch had made himself at home among Carmilla's crew, and she figured she ought to keep him around. Everyone seemed to like that guy, and he was really handy to have on deck. Laura was... somewhere. Carmilla wasn't actually sure where Laura was. Had Laura even gotten off the ship? Now that she thought about it, she wasn't quite sure.

Carmilla decided to check the ship, and sure enough she found Laura sitting alone in.. The Captains cabin? What was she doing there? Carmilla decided that she'd find out, and slipped inside the cabin.

"What are you doing on the ship?" Carmilla asked bluntly, a bit too tired for subtleties.

"Just sitting, really. Why are you?" Laura answered, looking out the broken window and away from Carmilla.

Carmilla was really fighting the urge to be sarcastic or rude and say something like _it's my ship, I can be on here when ever I want_ and decided to answer with "Looking for you."

"Oh, why?" Laura turned around, her interest peaking. Talking to the captain was really odd after what had almost happened in this captain the night before. Laura still couldn't believe what she had almost done, and without thinking at all.

"Just to make sure you weren't trying to swim home." Carmilla replied sarcastically. So sarcasm won, but when doesn't it win?

"Me? I'd never run in fear from a pirate like you." Laura answered in a similar tone of voice.

"Is that so? Maybe I can change that." Carmilla's voice dropped low into a slight purr as she took Laura's hand and turned her around.

"I thought you weren't one to change things, or have I just and an effect on you?" Laura asked, standing up and looking deep into the other girl's eyes.

"I can change plently of things, as long as they aren't me." Carmilla smirked, pulling Laura by the hand out of the cabin and on to the docks.

"What are you doing?" Laura looked around, confused and kind of disappointed. Not that nothing happened in that moment or anything, but just because sitting in the ship was nice. The Captain Carmilla was nice. Cabin. The Captains cabin was nice.

"I'm just heading to my home on the island, you're the one who won't let go of my hand, Sundance." She answered casually, not turning around as she kept walking and pulling Laura along.

"Me? You're the one who has a death grip on my hand." Laura proclaimed, but not really against anything that was happening.

"I think you've got it all backwards, cupcake." The other girl laughed, and Laura's face flushed red at the next thought to run through her head and from that point on she was too embarrassed to say much. Looking around, she saw the kind of life that Carmilla had built for her crew. There were nice cabins all around and store houses for all they owned, everyone seemed happy. There was no strife, no quarrel here. Once they came off that ship, they all seemed all the more human. Laura, for what ever reason, seemed to be pushing away the idea that this life was built on plunder and murder. With Carmilla taking her hand, it was hard to think about that sort of thing.

While lost in her own thought, she didn't realize she was being pulled inside a cabin larger than the rest and down a small flight of stairs, "So, this is your place then." Laura stated.

"Mhm, how observant of you." Carmilla sasses jokingly, and let go before sitting on her bed. It was cold in this room, Laura noticed, and wondered why. She was about to ask, but she realized that this room was under the cabin and probably underground. It was rather dark, except the light coming from a candle that Carmilla had just lit.

"What are you doing?" Larua asked bluntly, staring at Carmilla.

"Taking off my boots, cutie." Carmilla answered, sliding off her thick and almost knee-heigh boots. She then took off her socks and sprayed her feat with something, before turning to Laura, "What are _you_ doing?"

"Standing here.." Laura mumbled, confused at this entire situation, and oblivious as to what was about to happen.

"Well, don't." Carmilla shot quickly, and "seemed" angry.

"What? What am-" Laura started questioning, but was caught off guard when Carmilla pulled her by the arm over to the bed and Laura fell. Right onto Carmilla's lap.

"Well aren't _you_ eager, creampuff." Carmilla teased, pulling Laura closer and slipping her arm around Laura's waist. Maybe this wasn't the best thing to be doing, Carmilla thought, but she didn't really care at the moment. She was tired, a little tipsy from her morning drinking and wanted something pleasurable and this girl was everything she needed right then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A great place to end off, right?
> 
> It's actually the contemplative decision of smut or nah


	13. The Knight of Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura ends up asleep in Carmilla's bed after *cough* activities *cough* and Danny gets her ass handed to her on a silver platter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut, gore(if you count blood vomit, a tongue being bitten in half and stuff as gore) and a battle to the death? What more can you want?
> 
> *Also I totally forgot if Laura changed her clothes or not because I never focused on that at all so WHOOPS*  
> *Also first time writing smut so what an adventure for everyone involved*

Before Laura knew what was going on and had a chance to protest she felt a soft, warm pair of lips press against her own, her heart now ready to beat itself right out of her chest. Her face flushed red up to the tip of her nose, a bubbling mix of fear, confusion and enjoyment filling her to the brim. She let Carmilla's hand caress her side, and held no complaint as the other found its way to her stomach. She let out a startled squeak as Carmilla decided to turn and push her against the bed, gently lifting her and brining her forward before she pressed both of her hands next to Laura's head and straddled her and they both stared deep into each others eyes for just a moment.

Just a moment before Carmilla leaned down and softly kissed Laura's neck while moving her hands to the hem of her shirt, that was just one size too big. Not that it would matter any time soon. Laura was enjoying herself too much, as she felt the silky hands of Carmilla slide up her shirt, sending an electric pulse through her nerves at each slight brush against her skin and as Carmilla's lips left a path of kisses up to her lips, Laura couldn't help but let out a small noise, trying not to give. Apparently, the small noise to Carmilla was like a drop of blood for sharks, because as soon as she heard, she pulled Laura up and the shirt came off just as quick. Carmilla was, for Laura's lack of better words, thirsty. And Laura was definitely on the menu.

Carmilla pushed Laura back down and rolled off of her to lay at her side, and smashed their lips together once again. This time, the kissing was less gentle and soft, but much more fiery and passionate, and Carmilla took Laura's bottom lip between her teeth in a slight pull before pressing back against her and sliding her tongue into Laura's mouth. Laura just let it happen, enjoying every second as scared as she was. She had never done anything like this before and it felt... Electric. Laura felt a soft hand sliding against her stomach and down her core as Carmilla's tongue ventured farther into her mouth and her eyes widened as Carmilla's hand decided to go on adventure of its own; into Laura's pants.

Carmilla slowly pulled her tongue back, her fingers making quick yet gentle circles against Laura's clit as she whispered into Laura's ear in a low, silky voice, "I bet you feel so dirty, prestigious Lady Hollis, virgin in a white dress. But look at you now, letting a Pirate have her way with you."

Laura tightened her eyes shut, listening to Carmilla's words and wondered why she wasn't stopping her, and with each of Carmilla's words her fingers pressed a little more before slipping down and toying with her entrance. Laura let out a moan, and Carmilla continued to whisper into her ear, her voice lower and smoother than before, "I wonder if you still feel like a proper lady, the way you're wet and moaning for some one like me."

Laura fought the urge to rock her hips against Carmilla's fingers, but didn't have enough in her to fight the next moan when Carmilla's finger slide inside of her and she continued to make circles against her clit with her thumb, at which point Laura stopped fighting her urges and just let it happen. She decided that maybe it would be best to let the pirate win as Carmilla's finger's pace quickened, and Laura rocked her hips.

"Not enough for you..?" Carmilla purred, slipping in another finger, angling her arm so that her palm pressed against Laura's clit. With every moan that escaped Laura's lips, Carmilla's pace quickened as heat filled her core and body. Laura was falling a part in so many ways, more than she thought would ever happen in her life. Then.. It all stopped, and Laura looked to her side. Carmilla wasn't there. It wasn't until she felt her trousers and undergarments being pulled off did she realize where Carmilla was, and by then the pirate was already spreading her legs and kissing Laura's _other_ pair of lips. Her fingers were slipping back inside of Laura, and lips around her clit: sucking, tongue fluttering. Laura's moans had gone far past being just loud at this point, and when she felt herself crumble around Carmilla's lips and fingers, she couldn't help but scream.

**AN HOUR LATER**

Laura had fallen asleep in Carmilla's bed, and Carmilla had put her boots and coat back on to head back outside to contemplate her life decisions. As much as she had enjoyed herself, was that really the best thing to do? Carmilla shrugged it off, it's not like anything bad would come of it. It isn't like she could get Laura pregnant. She was lost in thought that she almost didn't notice the Black Panther dropping sail and moving.. Locksley. Somebody was coming, and it was no doubt the ginger giant. They had a long history together.. And that giantess was never going to stop hunting until she was dead and her ship sunk. 

Carmilla slipped into the tavern, "Lafontaine, where ever you are.. Spread the word, some one is coming. Have the galleons manned and everyone else hidden, rifles ready to fire. Understood?" She asked loudly, hoping Lafontaine would hear from the kitchen.

They did, "Aye, Captain. It'll be done quick as possible." Lafontaine called out from the kitchen, stepping out from behind a door.

"Good." Carmilla answered solemnly before walking back out to get her holsters and cutlass's. This was going to be the end of their game of cat and mouse. Lawrence would die first, and she would draw out the death of Callis and Straka. Torture them slowly until they die from the pain.

**Aboard Summer's vengeance**

"We're closing in, commodore! I can spy the docks on their island but.. Nothing seems to be there.." The first mate called out to Danny, turning to her for answers.

"Give the call to Theo and Mel, we're going into port and searching the island. If Laura isn't there, we can still reclaim a lot of lost treasure." Danny replied quickly, tightening the strap on her side that held her sword, a bastard sword named fury.

"Aye, will we all be going ashore?" He asked, making his way back to the helm next to Danny.

"No, I'm taking a few men along with Theo and Mel. They might be taking some as well, but in case we come in to trouble I need this ship ready to leave." Danny answered with confidence, looking out at the island as she walked down the steps to the main deck. The Arrow and Trident had already docked, and Theo and Mel ashore, looking around. No one else seemed to be in sight. Once the Summer's Vengeance had reached the port, Danny rounded up several men and jumped down on to the docks.

"Theo, Mel! Anyone home?" She called out, looking around herself.

"Not that I can see. It looks like its been abandon for at least a few months." Mel answered, joining up with the group along with Theo.

"Still, with no body home.. That leaves a treasure hoard unguarded." Theo grinned, looking into the small village like thing the pirates had set up.

"Well, lets go find it." Danny confirmed, and the group made their way deeper into the island...

That's when they heard it. A noise like a storm of thunder, rolling over cliffs and mountains and the splintering of wood and the clash of metal on metal. Danny whirled around to see flames. Arrow and Trident were slipping into the deeps, and Summers Vengeance was aflame.. Out of the darkness came the Black Panther, and Danny knew that her ship and crew were doomed. Then came the shots of rifles, and Danny looked around again. Bodies were dropping left and right, slaughtered by an enemy they couldn't see.

Danny's world soon faded to black.

When she opened her eyes, she felt cold steel clamped around her wrists and her hands were behind her back. She was kneeling, and when she looked up she saw the face of Captain Von Karnstein. She looked around, and she was still on the island, in the middle of some sort of courtyard. Next to her was Callis and Straka, both bound and kneeling in the same fashion.

"Well look who we have here, did you miss me?" Karnstein laughed viciously, turning her fiery eyes on Theo. He looked down and away.

"Look at me." She growled, but Theo refused, "I said.. LOOK!"

Theo refused to look. That was going to be the last mistake he made. Karnstein's boot slammed into his face, and Theo was sent tumbling, spurting out blood and a tooth. Karnstein wasn't done with him, and she stepped over to him and slammed her boot into his gut repeatedly until he started throwing up on the dirt. It was a disgusting brown color, blood mixed with acid and food.

"Stop it, damn it!" Mel shouted, but Karnstein didn't listen. When Theo was done hurling up his insides, she picked him up by the collar and lifted him so that she had to stare up at him.

"Put him down!" Mel screamed, and Karnstein turned to face her. A grin split across her face, and she threw Theo into the ground before shooting him in the back of the knee, he screamed out in pain, blood oozing from his wound.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mel was screaming, her face hot with rage, and Karnstein walked over to her, staring into her soul.

"Stop this madness!" Danny shouted, Mel was trembling, and Karnstein was laughing. It sent chills down her spine, and Mel felt all her betrayals crawling on her back like spiders.

"What kind of monster are you?" Mel shrieked, and her words were met by Karnstein's knee slamming into her jaw. Blood splurted from her mouth, painting her teeth red and a small chunk of her tongue dribbled out and fell to the ground, and Mel let out a gasp of sheer pain. Karnsteins laugh became hideous and malicious, and she slammed her boot into Mel's throat and she fell backwards.

"What kind of monster am I?" Karnstein laughed, twirling a pistol around her finger, "I'm your worst nightmare. I am all of your sins coming back into one strike, and I will be your death."

"Don't!" Danny shouted, but it was too late. Karnstein shot and the bullet pierced Mel's chest, and she gasped, staring down as the crimson life flowed out of her body, draining into the dirt and soaking it.

"You god damn coward!" Danny screamed, her face hot and her body shaking with rage, "Take off these bonds and fight me! End this once and for all!"

"If you insist.." Karnstein chuckled, holstering her pistol and unlocking the chains that bound the ginger giant. Danny pulled her hands back in front of her and felt her wrists before standing up.

"So here we are now, just me and you.." Karnstein grinned, drawing one of her cutlass's, and Danny drew her sword, "There's no going back now, I've covered every route. You won't escape death this time."

Danny said nothing, but stepped forward and swung her blade overhead and down against Karnstein, who stepped quickly out of the way. Danny swung angrily to her side with no avail, Karnstein was too quick, and now her sharp but thin blade was screaming towards her side, and Danny had no choice but to play it defensively.

"Who are you but a sorry excuse for a fool!" Karnstein spat in her onslaught of attacks, drawing her second blade. Strike after strike, blow after blow as Karnstein danced around her, Danny only just keeping up.

"I think it's time I made you pay for standing in my way!" She growled, her attacks only getting faster and faster. From the left, from the right, Karnstein dodged Danny's swing and rolled behind her, getting up and slicing the back of Danny's knees and kicking them in, Danny falling flat against the dirt. She rolled onto her back just in time to raise her blade in defense as Karnstein's duel cutlass's sliced through the air towards her. Danny kicked out Karnstein's legs, but even as Karnstein fell she tossed her blades behind her, catching herself with both hands and flipping backwards and catching the blades as she landed on her feat.

"Come on, Lawrence! Knight of Summer! Try and HIT ME!" Karnstein taunted, twirling her blades. Danny stood and charged, swinging her blade overhead directly at Karnstein's neck. Karnstein slid to the right, raising her blades to catch Danny's, and slid them across before flipping backwards over the blade, her cutlass's now on top. Danny thought she was dead for sure, but.. Karnstein didn't kill. Instead, she raked the blade across her shoulders, taking Danny's badge of rank and a patch of skin with it, leaving a burning red mark.

"One attack after the other, but you'll never bring them back!" Karnstein laughed maniacally, Danny turned to try and hit her but Karnstein dodged and raked her cutlass across Danny's other shoulder, leaving the same mark and taking away her badge. Danny was angry now, and she couldn't think straight at all. The pirate would pay for what she did. Danny charged in attempt to tackle her, but she simply stepped out of the way and tripped Danny, slicing open her back as she slammed into the ground.

"That's right, Lawrence. You'll never bring back your brother." She continued to laugh, Danny stood and raised her blade to meet Karnstein's coming onslaught.

"Not your brother.." She growled, swinging one of her blades towards Danny's neck, and as soon as she had parried the attack, another blade was coming from the other side. Steel was ringing through out the island like a musical.

"Not your mother!" Karnstein shouted again, before rolling underneath one of Danny's strikes and slicing open her stomach. Danny couldn't fight much longer.. It was over. She couldn't win.

"Not even your father!" Karnstein laughed as she drove a blade through Danny's back side, and Danny looked down at the crimson steel.

"That's right, Lawrence. You failed, and now you get to die, too." Karnstein's laugh was hideous and evil, and she kicked Danny's back, sending her face first into the dirt. She could hear the cocking of a pistol. It was over.

"Carmilla! Carmilla, don't!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that sure was fun, wasn't it?
> 
> And no, Danny isn't dead. She's dying, but she's still alive.


	14. Mercy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla is in her fit of pure rage from everything she lost and finally encountering the people who took it from her.. And she can't recognize anyone. There's a word I'm looking for to explain this but I don't remember it.. Ah well. She's kind of thrown back through all these moments and she's fucking pissed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god I died writing this. I stopped it short because I think.. I think this is all that needs to be said in this chapter. Laura melts Carmilla's heart, and...

Carmilla lowered the pistol for a second, looking around. She couldn't recognize where she was, but she saw corpses.. Her crew, the flames of her ship. She had finally gotten revenge on Theo and Mel, but there was this one last person. This ginger.. Carmilla didn't even know who it was, but all her mind told her to kill them. Kill the ginger. She saw someone running up to them, rolling over the ginger's body and looking in horror as blood flowed from the wounds. The girl looked up, she said something but Carmilla couldn't tell what.

She raised the pistol again, aiming at the dying ginger giant. Once she was dead, she had to kill the other. _Kill them, kill them for Ell. Kill them for your crew, for your family. Kill._ The words echoed over and over in her head. Kill. She was about to pull the trigger, but there was a scream and the pistol was flying out of her hand. Carmilla stumbled back, pulling her blades free from the ground. The smaller girl must have done something.. And was now picking up the fallen warriors sword. Fine, if that was how it had to be. She'd kill this one first, some servant of the Queen, no doubt. She'd have her revenge.

Carmilla lunged forward, bringing her blades to her side and sweeping in from the left. The girl's attempts to block were clumsy, and this kill would be easy. Strike after strike, just barely blocked. For some reason she couldn't land a hit, like drawing blood from this girl was impossible. She even saw her blades slice through the girl and yet.. Not a drop of blood fell. Carmilla was getting angry, her blood boiling. She would kill this girl.

"What are you doing?!" A voice called it, echoing around her. It felt familiar, but Carmilla didn't know why. She ignored it, continuing her onslaught, dancing around the girl with strike after strike, her inner voice cackling as she saw the girl fumble around, just trying to block the hurricane of Carmilla's blades.

"You don't have to be this way!" It called again, and Carmilla stopped for a moment, looking around. Who had said that?

"Who ever you are, you know NOTHING!" Carmilla screamed, swinging one blade towards the girls neck, and the other at the girl's side. All she had managed to block was just one, and Carmilla's blade sliced through her thigh, a stream of blood flowing from her leg. Carmilla felt it, too. She felt that pain in her own thigh, and all of her wanted to stop this. _Kill her, damn it! You are ruthless, you are a monster. Show the Queen what you're made of!_

The girl stumbled back and fell, staring up into Carmilla's eyes, "Stop.. I know this isn't you, you're better than this.."

Carmilla snarled in an almost animalistic way, swinging both of her blades over head at the girl, who had only just managed to roll away. The girl then awkwardly swung the stolen blade against Carmilla's, and managed to knock one out of her hand before stumbling to her feat.

"This is all I'm ever going to be!" Carmilla screamed, wildly swinging her blade in an attack against the smaller girl, but she was better now. Blocking every single stroke without fail, and Carmilla couldn't hit her. _Stop fucking around and kill her! Show her the truth!_

"It isn't, Carm! You know that it's true, you're not a monster!" Laura called out. Laura.. Carmilla tried to shake the thought free, but it kept eating away at her. Her attacks were slow, unfocused, and before she knew it, her other blade was stuck in the dirt. Carmilla dropped to her knees.

"Finish it.." Carmilla sounded defeated, she didn't want to fight anymore. The voice in her head told her to pick up the blade and keep fighting, but she didn't want to. She was tired, emotionally and physically exhausted.

"No.. I won't kill you. Carm, listen to me.. You're going to be okay. You're not the monster you think you have to be." The voice was comforting, and the girl knelt down before Carmilla and pressed her soft hand against her cheek. Carmilla slumped down, she wanted it to end. The needed it to end. Someone had to die, and Carmilla realized that maybe she had been targeting the wrong person. She reached for her pistol.

"It's going to be okay." The girl smiled. It was like sunshine, a rainbow.. Beautiful in so many ways. Laura.

"It's not ever going to be okay.. I can't fix anything. I couldn't save her, I can't save myself.. It's over." Carmilla was crying now, and she slowly cocked the pistol.

"Don't worry.. I'll save you." Laura whispered softly into her ear, pushing away the pistol, "I'll save you.."

Carmilla was sobbing, her memories flooding back to her, the guilt of everything she had done was crushing her. Was that why she drank so much, was this why she shoved away all her emotions? Guilt and pain. She didn't want it, she wanted it to end.. But as she fell into Laura's embrace, she had hope.. Maybe it would be okay. Maybe the pain could end without her life following it. She shut her eyes, and let Laura cradle her. It didn't matter who saw, or what happened. She had found her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... No one died. During this time, Lafontaine had gotten back from the wreckage of the three ships with the rest of the crew, and with Perry's help they bandaged up and saved Mel and Danny. Theo was in bad condition, but he was going to survive.


	15. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura has taken Carmilla back to her cabin and bed, helping the captain get herself together. Lafontaine and Perry are busy nursing Danny, Theo and Mel back to health, and peace between the crews of all the ships is held together by that sight. As well as Perry's food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THEO HAS SOME SECRETY SECRET  
> ES SPOOPY SCURY
> 
> Filler chapter is smoll, but containing some useful info and introducing someone people of importance, though not by name.

"Hey, look at the bright side, Perry! You're running a café, like you always wanted!" Lafontaine Lafon-laughed jokingly, examining Mel's jaw. They had already pulled the bullet out of their chest and bandaged it up. There was a lot of swelling and Lafontaine was honestly surprised the damn thing didn't disconnect completely, the way Theo's did. Snapping that back into place wasn't fun for anyone involved, they had to get Locksley to hold him down. Other than that and the extreme bruising inside and out, Theo was going to be just fine. Minus the bullet hole in his stomach but ya know, what are you gonna do?

"This isn't exactly how I envisioned it.. This is more like a medical ward. Are you even certified to be doing any of this?" Perry asked, carefully placing trays of food next to the injured patients. Theo wasn't going to be able to eat for a while, so he didn't really get anything. Danny was mopping in the corner, not willing to eat, so the food was mostly for the crew mates; injured or not, most of them injured. Carmilla's crew had no quarrel with any of it, as they were all more than happy to persuade others to their life of freedom. The way the royal crews were treated was a surprise to them all, and they seemed to enjoy the life of plenty that the pirates had built for themselves.

"Me? Certified?" Lafontaine joked, but continued when they saw the concern in Perry's eyes, "Relax Per, I've been cleaning up wounds and fixing people up for about six years now. It's why I'm Karnstein's right hand for practical matters. Locksley is basically the captain's fist, although as we've seen is quite capable of causing hell herself.."

"And you've treated stab wounds, slices and.. Cases of plank through the side and missing leg?" Perry inquired, lifting an eyebrow.

"Oh sure, just cut off the infected bit and put a peg on it. Good as new!" Lafontaine chirped before opening up Mel's mouth and inspecting her messed up tongue, once satisfied that she wasn't dying, they stood.

"And what about her..?" Perry gestured to a girl who had a bit of shrapnel lodged in her eye.

"Oh, I should probably attend to that. Can you get me a rag, spoon, and rum?" Lafontaine sighed, approaching the girl, kneeling next to her and looking at the eye. There was blood, but it wasn't life threatening bleeding. It would be if it stayed like that, though. They realized they would need something to get the wood out, so they pulled a pair of pliers out of their pouch.

"Here, what are you going to do?" Perry asked, walking over to the counter to grab a spoon and rum, and set everything down next to Lafontaine.

"Oh you know, fix her up. Good as new. Ish." Lafontaine answered casually, and turned to the girl, handing her the rum, "Drink."

"What is that gonna do..?" The girl asked slowly, barely moving.

"It'll hurt less and you'll bleed less. Drink." Lafontaine ordered, and the girl started to chug the rum. Once she was through the bottle, nice and intoxicated, Lafontaine placed a rag in the girls mouth and leaned her back against the wooden floor, before grabbing the pliers.

"Eh Perry, you might want to not look at this." Lafontaine suggested, knowing Perry could get a little squeamish sometimes. Well, anyone would get that way about a situation like this. Perry nodded, and turned her attention to some of the patients she knew how to handle.

"Alright, Kiddo.. Just bite down on the rag when it hurts and uh.. Relax, I guess." Lafontaine instructed, the girl not quite understanding, but they proceeded anyway. They pressed their knee against the girls chest so that they would jerk or move and.. Pulled the piece of wood out of the girls eye, and there was a muffled scream. Of course, that was hardly it. They couldn't just leave that.. mess.. In the socket, and they grabbed the spoon. This part would be gross. They dipped the spoon into the eye socket and severed the eyes connection to the rest of the body and spooned it out. They grabbed a spare rag and stuffed it into the eye socket before pulling an eyepatch over her head.

"See kid? Good as new." Lafontaine laughed, moving back and taking the rag out of her mouth. They stood, and grabbed a cookie off Perry's tray, tossing it to the girl.

"Thanks.. I think?" The girl answered slowly, munching down on the cookie.

Lafontaine stood up and looked around, "Alright! Who's the guy who had a plank in his side?" They called out. Someone raised their hand, and Lafontaine headed over. Perry watched them as they bandaged up wounds so Lafontaine could properly treat them later, without anyone dying. Perry was honestly happy enough just feeding them, and it made her happy to see the joy her food brought the patients.

Pretty soon Lafontaine had fixed up most of the major injuries, one of which included sawing off part of someone's leg and sticking a peg on it. That wasn't fun for anyone to see, and Perry decided that mopping this place was going to be a necessity once everyone was gone. Them L:afontaine did something a little odd, stumbling back in shock from something, Perry couldn't tell what it was thought. They then leaned forward over to Theo's sleeping body, and plucked something out of his pocket, examining it closely. 

"Uh, Per.. Hold the fort, okay? I'll be right back, I promise." Lafontaine said slowly, before heading out of the tavern and running off to the docks. Perry was concerned and confused, but knew that Lafontaine would do as they did, and would probably be just fine in the end. Of course, that did nothing to stall her worrying, and she decided that now would be a great time to make cookies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pssst  
> yeah, you  
> c'mere, I gotta secret to tell you  
> *whisper* ATQ has the feels for Katie  
> *looks around*  
> Don't tell anyone  
> Even though I know they both read this


	16. Adressed From the Baron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lafontaine brings the letter to Carmilla, and a certain one-eyed crew mate of the royal navy brings important information to light for them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Casmir will always be my precious child and will constantly show up in a good amount of my fics. She's my child and graces all of my work.

Lafontaine looked down at the ornate letter with worried eyes. _Vordenberg._ A plague in human form and a vile creature. Baron on the Queen's court, and older than the court itself, the bastard spouted lies so often it became impossible to tell when he was actually telling the truth. He had a habit of rambling about things in history that didn't actually happen, and he smelled like mushrooms. Most people were unsure why the Queen hasn't beheaded yet, the Queen included in that group. This letter would go to say that Theo Straka was working with Vordenberg, both men well known to be greedy and hungry for power. If those two were working together, along with Mel and Danny.. That didn't spell anything nice for Carmilla.

Then again, maybe what ever it is they were planning had already been acted on and failed. Yet if that were so, where was Vordenbergs fleet? Surely he would have sent his own men to ensure the destruction of the Black Panther. What ever the answers to their questions may be, the letter would hopefully tell all. Theo was definitely up to something, and not even Carmilla beating him brought out a word. Maybe that was because she broke his jaw and beat the living shit out of him before he had a chance to speak. Either way, Lafontaine had to bring this letter to Carmilla. As they left for the Captain's house, they didn't notice the girl sliding out of the back door of the tavern and following them.

As they walked, Lafontaine looked around the area at all the people. Royal uniforms mixed in with the casual clothing of the pirate crew; there seemed to be little bad blood between the groups. Kirsch seemed to be having a lot of fun, as well. Lafontaine had to wonder why, was it the freedom the pirates had? Or did they simply not share the grievances their captains held? Of course, there were several groups of the Royals that avoided the pirates at all costs, hanging close to the docks, with Locksley keeping a sharp eye on them. The Royals were intimidated by the man in more ways than one. His arsenal of weaponry and choice of clothing was one, but the Royals also rarely saw skin as dark and chocolate-y as Locksley. Of course, the only Royals who were bothered by that were the only ones Locksley had to scare, so in the end it worked out for him.

When Lafontaine reached the Captain's home and creaked open the door, they saw no one. Laying on her desk were two bloodied cutlass's, and the captain's coat was laying on the floor. Along side the coat were her pistol holsters and the pistols themselves, as well as a shirt. The Captain's boots were tossed haphazardly on the floor, leading up to the doorway to the stairs. Lafontaine sighed, wondering what they were about to interrupt, and slowly walked down the stairs.

What they found, however, was not what they were expecting to see. Carmilla was leaning back into Laura's lap, resting her head on the girl's chest, and her arms were wrapped tightly around Carmilla. Laura had a blanket draped across her shoulders, and was leaning towards Carmilla's ear, whispering something. Carmilla looked a lot different than she usually did, even when drunk. She seemed.. Human. Not just with the way her hair was a hot mess, or the touch of tears in her eyes or the soft glow of her skin. It was her presence, something Lafontaine could always pick up on someone. From Carmilla, they usually picked on something cold and distant; something dead, but now.. Now Carmilla seemed to be alive. Well and truly alive.

That kind of thing made Lafontaine happy, to know that their best friend through the past seven years was finally feeling something real. It was also why they were pained so much to have to interrupt, but it had to be done. Laura would stay with her, and it was unlikely that they would be leaving the island any time soon. So, with a sigh, Lafontaine knocked on the wall and stepped into the room.

"Hey, I hate to bother you both but.. It's important. I found an ornate letter on Theo's person. It's addressed from the Baron." Lafontaine spoke gently, stepping next to the bed and picking up the lit candle.

"Alright, just.. Let me get ready, I'll meet you outside." Carmilla sighed, wearing a look of reluctance. Dreary and heavy.

"Don't bother, you know you can have feelings around me, right? You're still the same person, I won't treat you any different unless you ask." Lafontaine reassured, knowing that Carmilla hated to be caught in a moment like this. They knew that Carmilla would feel vulnerable, and they wanted her to know that she could trust them.

"Alright, thanks mate." Carmilla relaxed, snuggling deeper into Laura's embrace.

Lafontaine grinned a little, handing the letter to Carmilla and the candle to Laura, "I'll be up stairs, when you've had a looksee you can call me down and let me know."

"Alright, now go away Laf." Carmilla laughed weakly, and Lafontaine chuckled before heading up the stairs, only to be greeted by an vaguely familiar face with an eye patch.

"The letter has no value!" The girl squeaked, jumping backwards and stumbling a little, "It's got no real information in it, just a time, date and location. If you're lucky you'll have a sentence or two."

"Who.. what?" Lafontained questioned, raising an eyebrow, "Who, pray tell, are you?"

The girl, as if through natural instinct, straightened her posture, clicked her heels together and snapped into a salute, "Commander Koray, at your service!"

"Whoa there, Kiddo." Lafontaine chuckled a little bit, "Well, alright. When the captain is ready, I'll take you down and you can share what ever information you have."

"Thank you." Commander Koray replied, loosening up a little bit and dropping the salute.

"Lafontaine! There's practically nothing in this letter! It's literally two lines of nothing!" Carmilla called out from her bed.

"Well, that would be our cue. Come on, Commander." Lafontaine grinned, leading commander Koray down the stairs and into the room.

"September Twenty seventh, Noon, due west of the sound. Don't be late, the queen is playing her cards soon." Laura recited, looking at the two.

"Well, It's miss Laura!" Commander Koray laughed, adjusting the strap on her eyepatch, "Came all this way for you and you seem to be just happy with Captain Karnstein. Can't say I blame you." She winked.. Or is it blinking? If you only have one eye and you wink with it, is it blinking or winking?

"Oh, hello Casmir! I see you finally got your promotion! That's amazing!" Laura gave a friendly smile, leaving Carmilla and Lafontaine to look between the two.

"I should have figured you knew each other.. Anyhow, Casmir here can shed some light on that subject." Lafontaine informed, gesturing to Casmir, who still had relatively stiff posture.

"Well, Captain Straka and the Baron have been working together on something for a while now. The Baron would send a letter somewhat like that, and they would meet in the location given to discuss.. Something. I'm there for a portion of the meeting, being his first mate, but what they talk about sounds like treason to the crown. I haven't really heard a whole lot, but they say that the Queen is up to something. Something that they have to stop." Casmir informed curtly, still fiddling with their eyepatch.

"Now that is odd.. Knowing those two, what ever it is must be an opportunity for them. I want to know what the queen is up to." Carmilla said, her voice firm yet her posture and her general situation gave off a completely different vibe.

"Well, September Twenty Seventh.. That's in a week or so, right? We could sail to the meeting place and.. Find out." Laura suggested, still snuggling close to Carmilla.

"I can go with, if Vordenberg see's only pirate he'll be sure to open fire." Casmir put in, and Lafontaine nodded.

"The commander here is right. So that's settled, then?" Lafontaine concurred, looking around at the rest.

"Yeah, that works. See that our ship is ready to go in a week." Carmilla ordered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Noting on the Royal Navy Rankings: Admiral of the Fleet, Admiral, Commodore, Captain, Commander, Lieutenant-Commander, Lieutenant and your average crew mate


End file.
